The Legal 500 Hall of Fame highlights individuals who have received constant praise by their clients for continued excellence. The Hall of Fame highlights, to clients, the law firm partners who are at the pinnacle of the profession. In the United States, the criteria for entry is to have been recognised by The Legal 500 as one of the elite leading lawyers for six consecutive years. These partners are highlighted below and throughout the editorial.

Legal market overview

Antitrust practitioners in the USA are in marked disagreement about the impact of the Trump administration‚Äôs first two years. Some describe a politically motivated regulatory landscape in which the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission are being used as weapons in the President‚Äôs ‚Äėtrade wars‚Äô, while others totally reject this suggestion, noting the pride these agencies take in their independence. Where the market is in agreement is on the significance of the DOJ‚Äôs challenge to the AT&T/Time Warner combination ‚Äď the first vertical merger challenge in 40 years ‚Äď which most agree illustrates the government‚Äôs commitment to refocus attention on the US, after years of involvement in international cartel investigations in the auto parts and shipping industries, among others.

On the domestic front, firms are overseeing a number of investigations into alleged collusion between the major US airlines, packaged seafood producers and medical equipment manufacturers.

While traditional antitrust areas are still providing a steady stream of work ‚Äď especially healthcare, telecoms and pharmaceuticals ‚Äď firms are increasingly active in novel areas such as Big Data, data privacy, search engine terms, two-sided markets and intellectual property. Despite a lack of concrete legislative changes, the legal world is already debating the implications of these new elements and the benefits of redefining antitrust as not simply the protection of consumer welfare through a monitoring of price and output but also of quality and innovation.

On the civil litigation and class action front, defendant- and plaintiff-side firms are continuing to represent individuals and institutions in litigation arising from alleged violations in the financial services sector, including foreign exchange benchmark and ISDAFIX manipulation. Particularly notable in the past year is the continuing trend of defendants defeating classes at the certification stage and plaintiffs opting out of class actions to bring individual claims instead. Furthermore, firms reported a noticeable proliferation of competitor-on-competitor claims in private litigation instead of bringing their cases in front of the regulatory authorities.

Another trend for 2018 was the multiplication of litigation arising from ‚Äėno-poach agreements‚Äô ‚Äď agreements between competitors not to steal each other‚Äôs employees in order to suppress wages and innovation. This generated a number of high-profile cases in the technology and healthcare sectors, among others.

Rising stars

At¬†Arnold & Porter,¬†Bill Baer,¬†Sonia Kuester Pfaffenroth¬†and practice co-head¬†Debbie Feinstein¬†recently re-joined the team in Washington DC;¬†Baer and Pfaffenroth from the DOJ, and Feinstein from the FTC. In New York,¬†Jennifer Patterson¬†conducted an internal investigation of alleged price-fixing by the US subsidiary of an¬†international auto parts manufacturer¬†client, and is currently advising another manufacturer on its leniency application in two foreign jurisdictions. A major Korean company recently appointed¬†James W Cooper¬†to represent it in a DOJ investigation into allegations of bid-rigging for fuel service contracts.¬†Jonathan Gleklen¬†heads the national antitrust offering and¬†Saul Morgenstern¬†leads the New York branch. Litigation expert¬†James L Cooper¬†is also a key name to note.

The antitrust lawyers at¬†Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton¬†'are very focused, have strong connections with the regulators, and give practical and valuable advice'. The team is valued by clients for its 'immediate, efficient and precise fact-finding abilities'.¬†Brian Byrne¬†and¬†Mark Nelson¬†are part of a team counseling a number of major financial institutions on global investigations regarding the alleged manipulation of several foreign exchange benchmark rates. In other highlights, senior counsel¬†Mark Leddy,¬†Jeremy Calsyn,¬†Kenneth Reinker¬†and¬†Elaine Ewing¬†continue to act for a number of auto parts manufacturers in the landmark global investigation into alleged industry-wide price-fixing violations.¬†Cunzhen Huang¬†was recently promoted to counsel and¬†Alexis Collins¬†to partner in the Washington DC office, where all named attorneys are based.

Trusted Advisor - with Finnegan

In a cross-platform collaboration between GC magazine and leading IP law firm Finnegan, key partners and senior in-house clients explore the challenges for women in assuming leadership roles in the legal profession.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP's antitrust team - jointly led by¬†Scott Hammond, Los Angeles-based¬†Daniel Swanson,¬†and¬†Sean Royall,¬†who splits his time between Dallas and Washington DC - was recently strengthened by the arrival of¬†Richard Parker¬†from¬†O'Melveny & Myers LLP. In recent highlights, a Texas-based team that included Royall¬†secured a landmark victory for AT&T against the DOJ regarded its contested $106bn acquisition of Warner Bros, and a California-based that included Swanson¬†defeated Qualcomm's attempt to collect royalties from a group of Taiwanese Apple contract manufacturers. Cynthia Richman¬†teamed up with Swanson to represent a global technology conglomerate in its response to a DOJ investigation into alleged anti-competitive practices in the licensing of feature-length movies for theatrical showings. In Denver,¬†Richard Cunningham¬†was promoted to counsel. Named individuals are based in Washington DC unless indicated otherwise.

The¬†Latham & Watkins LLP¬†antitrust team 'is very good about communicating and setting expectations'; its lawyers 'are responsive to their clients' concerns, whether it is about staffing, strategy or¬†budgeting'. On an individual level, San Francisco's 'seasoned attorney'¬†Niall Lynch¬†is noted for his 'wisdom, patience and strategic guidance', and¬†Ashley Bauer¬†is 'outstanding in many ways' and 'is always on top of every fact of the case'. The 'exceptionally knowledgeable, commercial, user-friendly and responsive'¬†Elizabeth Prewitt¬†recently joined the team from¬†Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP,¬†while¬†Farrell Malone¬†and¬†Kirsten Ferguson¬†were promoted to the partnership in Washington DC and San Francisco, respectively. Key clients include Toshiba, Ocean Spray Cranberries and Union Pacific Railroad. Named attorneys are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

The antitrust team at¬†White & Case LLP¬†has a strong record supporting its stellar client base in regulatory matters under the leadership of Washington DC-based¬†Mark Gidley. He recently collaborated with Boston-based¬†Michael Kendall¬†to represent Richard Usher - a former currency trader at JPMorgan Chase - in criminal charges filed by the DOJ as part of the foreign exchange benchmark manipulation case; Gidley and Kendall impress clients with their 'outstanding experience and amazing ability to get to the truth in trial'.¬†Also notable is Washington DC-based¬†Christopher Curran,¬†who acted for Maruyasu in DOJ, EU and other international antitrust investigations into the auto parts industry - as well as associated class action litigation arising from its indictment in 2016 - and who continues to counsel Toshiba on a vast array of antitrust issues. Other notable clients include Endo Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer and Allergan. In New York,¬†Jack Pace,¬†John Chung¬†and¬†Robert Milne¬†are key names to note, and¬†Peter Carney¬†is also another core team member in Washington DC.

Washington DC-based Thomas Mueller¬†spearheads the cartel offering at¬†WilmerHale¬†and recently defended a former high-ranking official against charges brought by the DOJ in the context of its investigation into the foreign exchange benchmark manipulation case.¬†Steven Cherry¬†represented DENSO in the landmark global cartel case against auto part manufacturers as well as in private civil cases arising from its indictment by the DOJ. The firm's enviable client roster also includes names such as Intel, Baker Hughes and the Regal Entertainment group. Other key names to note include¬†Leon Greenfield, Boston-based¬†Mark Ford,¬†and¬†Heather Tewksbury Nyong‚Äôo,¬†who sits in the Palo Alto office. Named lawyers sit in Washington DC, unless otherwise stated.

Baker Botts L.L.P.¬†services a stellar client base that includes names such as Ingevity, Merck and Novartis. The team is jointly led by¬†John Taladay¬†and¬†Stephen Weissman¬†in Washington DC and Catriona Hatton,¬†who splits her time between Brussels and London. Among recent work, it recently obtained a significant victory on behalf of a group of airlines and the International Air Transport Association in their case against GE and a leading aircraft engine manufacturer before the European Commission alleging anticompetitive practices in the sector. In other highlights, Weissman acted for a global pharmaceutical company in an investigation into an alleged horizontal price-fixing scheme among drug manufacturers led by the Brazilian antitrust regulator, and Washington DC partners¬†Joseph Ostoyich¬†and¬†William Lavery¬†continue to advise Patterson Companies on a suit filed by the FTC claiming that the client and two competitors in the dental equipment industry conspired to boycott group purchasing organizations and refuse¬†to discount.¬†Mark Botti¬†and¬†Anthony Swisher¬†recently joined the Washington DC office from¬†Squire Patton Boggs, and¬†Peter Huston¬†arrived from the DOJ to strengthen the firm's San Francisco office.

The antitrust team at¬†Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP¬†makes use of its 'very robust technical knowledge' and¬†recently bolstered its offering through the hires of¬†Eric Mahr¬†and Andrew Ewalt¬†from the DOJ; Mahr was previously director of litigation of the antitrust division and Ewait¬†was counsel to Mahr. In a recent highlight, practice head¬†Paul Yde¬†and the 'excellent'¬†Mary Lehner¬†are representing United Airline in the ongoing DOJ investigation into allegations of seat capacity and pricing collusion among US airlines, which also includes a civil investigation into cross-ownership investments by financial institutions. A global media company also appointed a team led by Yde and counsel Hiram Andrews¬†to represent it before the DOJ in relation to digital platform issues. Also notable are¬†Bruce McCulloch,¬†who continues to advise a leading international manufacturer in the auto parts cartel case, and¬†Justin Stewart-Teitelbaum,¬†who was recently promoted to counsel. All named individuals are based in Washington DC.

A key member of the antitrust team at¬†Hogan Lovells US LLP¬†is Washington DC-based¬†Kathryn Hellings,¬†who has recently acted for a leading pharmaceutical company as well as a major foreign container shipping company in separate DOJ investigations. Other key names in the Washington DC office include Andrew Lee¬†and senior associates Daniel Shulak¬†and Susan Musser.¬† On the West Coast, San Francisco-based¬†Megan Dixon¬†is currently representing a major European bank in multi-jurisdictional investigations and associated litigation. Key clients include Airbus, American Express, Daimler AG and Mitsui.

Jones Day's¬†John Majoras¬†(based in Washington DC) continues to work with Los Angeles'¬†Eric Enson¬†and the Tokyo office to advise a manufacturer on the landmark DOJ investigation into the global auto parts cartel. In the pharmaceutical space,¬†Michael Knight¬†and¬†Geoffrey Oliver, who are also based in DC,¬†represented a pharmaceutical company in an FTC investigation of a drug used to treat opioid addiction, as well as in a private class action brought by wholesalers on the same grounds.¬†Bruce McDonald¬†sits in Houston and is currently counseling an oil and gas client on an internal investigation into the pricing practices of a newly acquired subsidiary. San Francisco-based¬†Craig Waldman¬†jointly leads the global practice with¬†Bernard Amory,¬†who sits in the Brussels office.¬†Marc Siegel¬†in San Francisco is another name to note.¬†David Wales¬†moved to¬†Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.

Ben Bradshaw¬†and¬†Ian Simmons¬†jointly lead¬†O'Melveny & Myers LLP's antitrust practice from the Washington DC office. The team's stellar client base includes major airlines, energy and natural resources businesses, and technology companies. In recent highlights, Bumble Bee Foods appointed a group led by New York's¬†Mark Racanelli¬†to represent it in a DOJ investigation into a price-fixing conspiracy, and San Francisco's¬†Michael Tubach¬†continues to act for German automotive supplier Ebersp√§cher in two criminal investigations by the DOJ looking at allegations of price fixing for exhaust systems and parking heaters. Also notable are experienced litigator¬†Kenneth O‚ÄôRourke¬†and¬†Benjamin Singer,¬†who recently joined the Washington DC office from the DOJ.¬†Richard Parker¬†left the firm to join¬†Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP¬†and¬†Ted Hassi¬†moved to¬†Debevoise & Plimpton LLP.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's antitrust team continues to defend Deutsche Bank in the landmark foreign exchange benchmark manipulation investigations, and is currently representing a US holding company and its subsidiary in a grand jury investigation into major industrial supply markets. The group is jointly led by¬†Kenneth Gallo, Jonathan Kanter¬†and¬†Charles Rule,¬†with the support of litigation expert¬†Aidan Synnott¬†; Synnott and Gallo¬†sit in New York, while Kanter and Rule are DC based. The group is currently¬†acting for a multinational insurance company in an internal investigation into its US operations following an investigation launched by a European regulatory agency. Other key names include¬†William Michael,¬†Craig Benson¬†and¬†Joseph Bial,¬†who are all based in New York.

Winston & Strawn LLP¬†recently bolstered its antitrust capacities through the promotion to partner of¬†Jonathan Amoona¬†in New York,¬†Diana Hughes Leiden¬† in Los Angeles,¬†Ian Papendick¬†in San Francisco, and the hire of¬†Eric Meiring¬†from the DOJ in the Washington DC office. The 'substantive knowledge of the cartel group is extremely high' and the team¬†'truly sets itself apart through its complete lack of ivory tower issues'. Particularly noted are Chicago-based¬†James Herbison¬†and¬†Michael Mayer,¬†who are 'both top notch,¬†professional, responsive and open to different strategies'. Associate Kevin Wolff¬†sits in Chicago and is also recommended by clients. The team is jointly led by¬†Jeffrey Kessler¬†and¬†Eva Cole¬†from New York.

Allen & Overy LLP's US antitrust practice is led by Washington DC-based¬†John Roberti,¬†who is currently representing a major international conglomerate in cartel investigations in South America, including a multi-jurisdictional internal investigation. In other highlights, a leading international player in the agriculture industry appointed Roberti to advise on its response to a fine imposed by an international antitrust regulatory body, and the team defended an individual executive in a DOJ investigation into alleged cartel behavior in the energy sector.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP's¬†antitrust team distinguishes itself through its 'broad base of experience and consistently exceptional results'; it is currently acting for an auto parts supplier as well as several of its executives in the ongoing DOJ investigation into the auto parts industry. Key figures in the team include¬†James Mutchnik¬†and¬†litigation specialist Daniel Laytin, both of whom are based in the firm's Chicago office.¬†Mutchnik is acting for Geo Specialty Chemicals in the criminal DOJ investigation pertaining to water treatment chemicals sold to municipalities in North Carolina and other states. In addition, Tenneco appointed the group to advise on its response to the European Commission's dawn raid of its European facilities as well as a subpoena filed by the DOJ. Also notable is San Francisco-based¬†Eliot Adelson,¬†who recently intervened in a number of antitrust matters in the media and telecoms space. Other key clients include Deutsche Bank, Clemens Food, Hitachi and Murata.

The full-service antitrust practice at¬†McDermott Will & Emery LLP¬†is spread across the country, with attorneys in Washington DC, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Orange County, and 'advises clients with a full and accurate understanding of thefacts'.¬†A team led by¬†Stefan Meisner¬†is currently acting for a Japanese auto parts manufacturer in a multi-district litigation in the context of the global DOJ investigation, and practice head¬†Raymond Jacobsen, Jr.¬†is currently working with¬†Paul Thompson¬†to defend Impax Laboratories in multi-district litigation arising from the pricing of generic drugs. In Chicago,¬†David Hanselman¬†assisted Eagle Materials and its subsidiary with class action complaints filed by direct and indirect purchasers of plasterboard. Individuals named are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated. Mary Strimel returned to her role at the FTC and Hillary Webber departed for in-house position.

Steven Reed¬†leads the global antitrust group at¬†Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP¬†from the Philadelphia office. Reed is currently acting for a generic drug manufacturer in a government investigation into allegations of price fixing and customer allocation. In other highlights, Silicon Valley's¬†Mark Krotoski¬†and New York-based Richard Taffet¬†are currently advising a major technology company on a DOJ investigation into a potential Sherman Act violation as well as allegations of collusion regarding the development of technical standards.¬†Deputy practice leader¬†Jon Roellke¬†sits in the Washington DC office alongside¬†Clayton Everett, Jr¬†and¬†Scott Stempel. Roellke has a strong record assisting clients with antitrust issues in the financial services sector, while Everett and Stempel have recently handled matters in the technology and electronics space.¬†Ryan Kantor¬†recently joined the practice from the DOJ in Washington DC.

Lisa Phelan¬†recently joined the antitrust team at¬†Morrison & Foerster LLP¬†from the DOJ, where she gathered 'unmatched experience of the regulators'.¬†Vishal Mehta¬†and of counsel¬†Megan Gerking¬†arrived from¬†Baker Botts L.L.P.¬†and¬†Covington & Burling LLP¬†respectively.¬†Bradley Lui¬†is currently representing individuals in the landmark aut parts cartel case brought by the DOJ, and is advising a shipping company on a joint investigation by the DOJ and Australian competition regulator. Also notable are 'unequaled and extensively experienced'¬†practice head¬†Roxann Henry, who successfully defended an individual against proposed dual criminal and civil charges by the DOJ pursuant to new prosecutorial policies, and¬†Demme Doufekias,¬†who is currently assisting the director of a pharmaceutical company in a price-fixing investigation brought by the DOJ. All named individuals are based in Washington DC.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP's¬†Michael Cohen¬†is currently leading a team, which includes Los Angeles'¬†Leo Caseria,¬†in the defense of Reynolds and Reynolds against state and federal antitrust claims filed by automobile dealers, data brokers and automotive software providers in consolidated multi-district litigation. In San Francisco, practice head¬†Michael Scarborough, of counsel¬†Gary Halling¬†and special counsel James McGinnis¬†defended Samsung in a grand jury criminal price-fixing investigation launched by the DOJ as well as various international investigations and related civil claims. Century City-based¬†David Garcia¬†and San Francisco-based¬†Dylan Ballard¬†are also key contacts.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP¬†fields antitrust experts and experienced litigators such as¬†John Terzaken, Abram Ellis¬†and¬†Jeffrey Knox¬†to service its enviable client base on the full range of cartel issues. The group has recently advised on sensitive and high-stakes DOJ investigations into the consumer foods, aviation fuel, financial services and healthcare sectors pertaining to allegations of price fixing, collusion and hiring practices. Also notable are¬†Sara Razi¬†and¬†Brooke Cucinella,¬†who recently joined the New York office as partner from the DOJ. All other named partners are based in Washington DC.

The team at¬†Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP¬†is currently advising clients on a number of sensitive government investigations, including a number of investigations by the FTC into the pharmaceutical space, and a DOJ inquiry into the air cargo transportation industry. In recent highlights, the team was appointed by PokerStars to assist with a government investigation into the online poker market, and acted for Horizon Lines in a grand jury investigation regarding ocean transportation in domestic trades.¬†Steven Sunshine¬†spearheads the team from Washington DC; key names in New York are¬†Tara Reinhart¬†and¬†David Leland.

Vinson & Elkins LLP's recent cartel work includes advising Hitachi on its involvement in the DOJ's global criminal investigation into the auto parts industry, and acting for a Chinese chemical company and its US subsidiary regarding its receipt of a grand jury subpoena emerging from a DOJ investigation. The team was recently bolstered by the arrival of¬†Darren Tucker,¬†Hill Wellford¬†and counsel Greg Wells¬†from¬†Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. Other key names include¬†Craig Seebald, Houston-based¬†James Reeder, head of merger investigations¬†William Vigdor¬†and¬†Lindsey Vaala,¬†who was recently promoted to counsel. Named individuals are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

The 'expert and responsive'¬†Corey Roush¬†heads the antitrust practice at¬†Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP¬†from the Washington DC office. In recent highlights, the team acted for the former director of a generic pharmaceutical company in a criminal grand jury investigation, and represented individuals as well as major financial institutions in investigations launched by the authorities into alleged violations in the securities and foreign exchange markets.

Lesli Esposito¬†sits in¬†DLA Piper LLP (US)'s Philadelphia's office and was recently appointed by Mid-Atlantic Dental as third-party witness in the FTC's investigation and action against the three largest dental care providers. In San Francisco,¬†Lisa Tenorio-Kutzkey¬†acts as global antitrust department head and recently obtained a favorable judgment for an individual pursued by the DOJ on the grounds of big-rigging in the real estate foreclosure market in the Bay Area during the residential housing crisis.¬†Robby Robertson¬†recently arrived in the Chicago office from¬†Hogan Lovells US LLP¬†and is also a key name to note alongside Philadelphia's¬†John Huh.

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP's¬†Robert Bell¬†recently cleared two individual executives of charges in a criminal DOJ investigation and continues to represent them in an investigation led by a foreign competition authority. Marc Weinstein¬†is based in New York and is acting for clients in the financial and media sectors.¬†Practice head¬†William Kolasky¬†is also a key name to note and is currently part of the team defending a generic pharmaceutical company in a DOJ investigation into allegations of a price-fixing conspiracy. Named attorneys are based in Washington DC apart where otherwise indicated.

Linklaters LLP's¬†Tom McGrath¬†leads the cartel offering from the New York office. The team recently advised a leading advertising holding company on a DOJ investigation into allegations of collusion and bid-rigging in the advertising industry.¬†Douglas Tween¬†- who leads the US government enforcement and cartel sub-team - cleared an individual of money laundering, bank and wire fraud, and false statement counts in relation to an alleged conspiracy to defraud banks participating in an export financing program. Other highlights include a cross-border criminal DOJ investigation into price-fixing violations in the financial services sector. Washington DC's¬†Jeff Schmidt¬†¬†is another key name.The firm's client roster also includes Siemens, BP and Glencore.

Mayer Brown's global antitrust offering is led by Washington DC-based¬†Mark Ryan,¬†who has substantial experience representing clients in high-stakes investigations and criminal litigation before the FTC and DOJ. The group was recently strengthened by the promotions to partner of¬†Matthew Provance¬†in Chicago and¬†Stephen Medlock¬†in Washington DC. Other key names include¬†Adam Hudes¬†and¬†Carmine Zarlenga¬†in Washington DC.

Miller & Chevalier Chartered's 'nimble andexperienced'¬†antitrust team is based in Washington DC and is almost entirely dedicated to cartel litigation. The 'truly outstanding'¬†Kirby Behre¬†and 'rising star'¬†Lauren Briggerman¬†'are very strong, strategic and responsive¬†cartel defense attorneys'; they jointly lead the practice and are currently representing a foreign manufacturer in price-fixing, bid-rigging and market allocation allegations in the promotional products industry. In other highlights, the pair is also defending high-ranking individuals in the pharmaceutical space in civil and criminal investigations by the DOJ. Associate¬†Sarah Dowd¬†is also a key name to note.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP¬†works with a¬†stellar client base that includes the likes of Home Depot, Norwegian Air and Ralphs. The team is jointly led by San Francisco managing partner¬†Roxanne Polidora¬†and litigation expert¬†Jacob Sorensen. In a recent highlight, the team is advising a major retailer in a state-level investigation implicating the client's distribution network. Christine Scheuneman retired from the practice.

Ropes & Gray LLP's¬†Michael McGovern¬†in New York¬†'is an outstanding, savvy, strategic and thoughtful legal mind' who 'always comes up with innovative and novel approaches'. He recently collaborated with Washington DC- and San Francisco-based practice head¬†Mark Popofsky¬†to represent a healthcare technology company in its response to a grand jury subpoena filed by the DOJ regarding the manufacturing, marketing, pricing and sale of certain products. In Boston, the main name to note is¬†Matthew McGinnis.

Shearman & Sterling LLP's¬†Djordje Petkoski,¬†David Higbee¬†and¬†Ryan Shores¬†in Washington DC are currently acting for major Japanese manufacturer Rubycon in a criminal¬†DOJ¬†investigation and associated civil and class action lawsuits. The firm has strong expertise in the financial sector, and New York partner¬†Adam Hakki¬†looks after clients such as¬†Bank of America Merrill Lynch, BNP Paribas and Barclays; he is currently advising a leading financial institution on DOJ investigations into the equity trading market. On the West Coast, San Francisco-based¬†Patrick Robbins¬†is representing senior executives within foreign manufacturing companies in separate criminal DOJ investigations into alleged price-fixing practices in the technology and automotive sectors. Also notable are Washington's¬†Todd Stenerson¬†and New York's¬†Jessica Delbaum,¬†who are currently handling sensitive matters pertaining to 'no-poach' agreements and anti-competitive practices in the generic drugs space.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP's global antitrust offering is headed by¬†Steven Newborn¬†in Washington DC.¬†Steven Reiss¬†and¬†Adam Hemlock¬†continue to represent an international manufacturer and its US subsidiaries in the ongoing DOJ investigation into the auto parts cartel. Hemlock is also leading the advice to the former CEO of a US manufacturer of generic over-the-counter drugs in a DOJ investigation into price-fixing practices, while Reiss is acting for a senior executive in an investigation into alleged bid-rigging in the television commercial production industry.

The antitrust team at¬†Williams & Connolly LLP¬†fields experts such as¬†Jonathan Pitt,¬†John Schmidtlein¬†and¬†Benjamin Greenblum¬†from its single office in Washington DC and acts for a diverse client base in criminal and civil litigation. The group has previously overseen sensitive disputes in the ocean shipping, financial services and automotive sectors, among others, and has worked with the likes of Celgene, Google, CoStar and CVS. In recent developments,¬†Colette Connor,¬†Steven Cady,¬†Liam Montgomery,¬†Christopher Mandernach¬†and¬†Katherine Trefz¬†were promoted to the partnership.

Rising stars

Boies Schiller Flexner LLP's¬†Donald Flexner, who¬†leads the standout litigation practice from New York, represents clients in both civil and criminal proceedings brought by competitors, classes and government authorities. The team, which comprises names such as¬†Richard Feinstein,¬†Michael Mitchell,¬†Scott Gant¬†and¬†Greg Dubinsky, has previously secured significant victories for clients in the healthcare and air travel sectors. Also notable is¬†David Boies,¬†who sits in Armonk. Named attorneys are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

The¬†Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton¬†team 'not only provides great legal judgment but also advises in a timely manner'. One client describes¬†Brian Byrne¬†as 'virtually a step above any other lawyer' they have worked with; he is part of the cross-office team advising a group of financial institutions on multi-jurisdictional investigations by global regulators into foreign exchange trading, as well as the associated civil litigation cases.¬†George Cary¬†and¬†Kenneth Reinker¬†are currently acting for Sabre in a consumer class action alleging collusion between global distribution networks, and¬†Leah Brannon¬†continues to defend Keurig in an ongoing monopolization claim brought by two individual competitors and two purported classes of purchasers.¬†Mark Nelson¬†and¬†Dave Gelfand¬†are also key senior names to note.¬†Mark Leddy¬†was recently promoted to global co-head of the antitrust practice and¬†Alexis Collins¬†was made partner. Kathleen Bradish¬†joined the group as counsel from the DOJ, and¬†Cunzhen Huang¬†and¬†Larry Malm¬†were promoted to counsel. All named individuals are based in Washington DC.

Trusted Advisor - with Finnegan

In a cross-platform collaboration between GC magazine and leading IP law firm Finnegan, key partners and senior in-house clients explore the challenges for women in assuming leadership roles in the legal profession.

The antitrust litigation team at¬†Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP¬†is jointly led by¬†Scott Hammond¬†(Washington DC),¬†Daniel Swanson¬†(Los Angeles) and¬†Sean Royall¬†(Dallas and Washington DC). A Texas-based team of Royall,¬†Mike Raiff¬†and¬†Rob Walters¬†recently secured a victory for AT&T against the DOJ, which had sought to block the¬† client's landmark $106bn acquisition of Time Warner. Washington DC-based¬†Cynthia Richman¬†worked with Swanson and others from the California offices to represent Taiwanese companies which manufacture Apple electronic products against Qualcomm regarding the latter's efforts to unlawfully collect royalties.¬†Other key clients include Merck, Panasonic and also Chevron, which the group is defending in a putative class action¬†filed by a gas station¬†aimed at all oil and gas companies with refining operations in California alleging price fixing.¬†Richard Parker¬†recently joined the team from¬†O'Melveny & Myers LLP.

Craig Waldman, who splits his time between San Francisco and Silicon Valley,¬†and Brussels-based¬†Bernard Amory¬†jointly lead the global antitrust practice at¬†Jones Day. In a recent highlight, Washington DC-based¬†John Majoras¬†and Los Angeles'¬†Eric Enson¬†are currently collaborating with the Tokyo office to represent NGK and its US subsidiary in several putative class actions arising from the high-profile global investigation into the auto parts cartel. Railway equipment supplier Wabtec appointed a group led by Waldman and¬†David Kiernan¬†- who is based in San Francisco - to defend it in a putative class action brought by current and former employees alleging the client engaged in a conspiracy to depress wages through 'no-poach' agreements with Knorr-Bremse. Chicago-based¬†Paula Render¬†is acting for Deutsche Bank regarding the class action claiming anti-competitive behavior in the trading of interest rate swaps on electronic exchanges. Other key names include Cleveland-based¬†Michelle Fischer¬†and DC's¬†Michael Knight,¬†who is advising a pharmaceutical company on multi-district class action litigation brought by purchasers alleging the client monopolized sales of a drug by engaging in 'product hop' and hindering the entry to market of generics manufacturers.¬†Michael Gleason¬†is also a key name to note.¬†David Wales¬†moved to¬†Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.

A stellar array of clients regularly appoints¬†Kirkland & Ellis LLP's 'dedicated and invested team'¬†to advise on a broad range of antitrust litigation; clients 'trust fully in its advice and appreciate its intelligence and diligence'.¬†Edwin U¬†is currently defending the ABB Optical Group in a series of over 50 putative class actions alleging the client and its co-defendants conspired to maintain minimum resale pricing in the optical lens sector, while a Chicago team including practice co-head¬†Daniel Laytin¬†is defending Blue Cross Blue Shield in a number of class actions challenging its health insurance structure. Also based in Chicago, team co-head¬†James Mutchnik¬†is acting for a major hedge fund as a third party in a multi-district class action brought against global banks on the grounds of alleged collusion in the interest rate swap market. The group's client base also includes names such as Deutsche Bank, DirecTV and also the Chicago Cubs, which Laytin and¬†Paul Clement¬†- among others - have been assisting with longstanding claims filed by the 'Wrigley Rooftops'.

Latham & Watkins LLP¬†provides 'thoughtful and sound case strategy' and global co-head¬†Christopher Yates¬†'has a sense for clients' needs' and stands out through his 'outstanding experience not only in antitrust, but litigation as a whole'.¬†Daniel Wall¬†and¬†Sadik Huseny¬†are currently collaborating with him to advise Apple on putative class action suits challenging the legality of Apple's restrictions on third-party applications via its App Store. The US Soccer Federation appointed a team including New York's¬†Lawrence Buterman¬†and Washington DC's¬†Gregory Garre¬†to defend it in a claim brought by the NASL alleging that US Soccer and other professional leagues conspired to exclude NASL from the top divisions to monopolize the market. Also notable in Washington DC are¬†Jennifer Giordano¬†and¬†Margaret Zwisler, while¬†Al Pfeiffer¬†sits in the San Francisco office. They recently acted for high-profile clients in the healthcare, telecoms and media sectors, such as Highmark and Cox Communications.¬†Amanda Reeves¬†co-heads the department in Washington, D.C., and was part of the team which defended Genentech in a suit filed by Russian biotechnology company Biocad alleging the client and other drug manufacturers engaged in predatory pricing and unlawful tying arrangements to prevent Biocad from competing in the US market. Named individuals are based in San Francisco unless otherwise stated.

Servicing a stellar client base including some of the world's largest conglomerates,¬†Baker Botts L.L.P.¬†'s global antitrust team is jointly led by¬†John Taladay,¬†Stephen Weissman¬†and¬†Catriona Hatton¬†. Irico Group appointed the team to advise on major price-fixing litigation brought by a class of direct purchasers, and¬†Joseph Ostoyich¬†teamed up with¬†William Lavery¬†to represent Patterson Companies in a suit filed by the FTC alleging Patterson and two of its competitors conspired to boycott dental group purchasing organizations and to coordinate pricing policies.¬†Mark Botti¬†and Anthony Swisher¬†recently joined the practice from¬†Squire Patton Boggs. Other key clients include AT&T, UnitedHealthcare, Ericsson and Royal Philips. Named attorneys are based in Washington DD, except Hatton, who is based in Brussels.

The advice provided by¬†Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP's antitrust team is 'practical and takes business realities into consideration'. David Marriott¬†and¬†Lauren Moskowitz¬†are currently representing Alcon Laboratories in over 50 putative class actions alleging violations of Section 1 of the Sherman Act by the client's pricing policies for its contact lenses. Also notable are¬†Evan Chesler,¬†Peter Barbur, Rory Leraris¬†and¬†Kevin Orsini,¬†who together secured a complete victory for American Express in the Second Circuit and US Supreme Court to end a longstanding dispute first brought by the DOJ then followed by several state attorneys alleging the client's card agreement 'non-discrimination' provisions violated the Sherman Act. Clients also recommend¬†Lauren Roberta Kennedy¬†and¬†Karin DeMasi,¬†who are 'both extremely responsive and give great legal counsel'.¬†Katherine Forrest¬†joined the team from her position with the government, and¬†Vanessa Lavely¬†was recently promoted to partner.

Dechert LLP's antitrust team recently secured a full victory for egg producer RW Sauder in a class action brought by direct purchasers claiming the client - and 12 other producers - conspired to reduce the domestic supply of eggs.¬†George Gordon¬†and¬†Christine Levin, who are based in Philadelphia,¬†defended Endo Pharmaceuticals in 'reverse payment' litigation brought by the FTC as a challenge to a patent settlement including a 'no-authorized generic' provision. A key name to note in New York is¬†Ethan Litwin,¬†who represented American Airlines in a series of class actions claiming the major airlines colluded to coordinate passenger seat capacity. Philadelphia-based¬†Steven Bizar¬†and New York-based¬†Michael Weiner¬†spearhead the firm's global antitrust department.¬†Rani Habash¬†was recently promoted to partner in the Washington DC office.

Hogan Lovells US LLP¬†acts as co-lead counsel to a number of Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) health insurance plans in multi-district litigation brought by separate putative classes of purchasers and healthcare providers alleging collusive practice between the plans.¬†Justin Bernick¬†is currently representing BCBS Rhode Island in a suit filed by a Massachusetts hospital system alleging the client violated antitrust laws by preventing it from acquiring a hospital. He is regularly supported by senior associate¬†Kimberly Rancour,¬†who has been part of cross-office teams advising on cases in the entertainment, pharmaceuticals and chemicals sectors.¬†Edith Ramirez¬†is global co-head of the practice and is also a key name to note, as is¬†Benjamin Holt. All named individuals are based in Washington DC.

O'Melveny & Myers LLP's¬†antitrust team¬†recently welcomed¬†Benjamin Singer¬†from the DOJ. In work highlights, Los Angeles-based¬†Daniel Petrocelli¬†recently secured a landmark victory for AT&T and Time Warner against the DOJ, which had challenged the clients' vertical merger.¬†Ian Simmons¬†and¬†Ben Bradshaw, who jointly head the practice, are currently representing Samsung in multi-district litigation seeking over $1bn in damages on the grounds of an alleged price-fixing conspiracy in the optical disk drive market. Also notable is¬†Katrina Robson,¬†who collaborated with Bradshaw and New York's¬†Andrew Frackman¬†to advise American Airlines and the US Airways Group on two separate cases regarding allegations of a domestic conspiracy to inflate air travel fares, the second of which challenged Sabre's practices of unreasonably restrained trade.¬†Edward Moss¬†is another key name in the New York office;¬†Kenneth O‚ÄôRourke¬†works with clients such as NextEra Energy and AT&T. Named individual are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.¬†Richard Parker¬†and¬†Ted Hassi¬†left the team for¬†Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP¬†and¬†Debevoise & Plimpton LLP¬†respectively.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's 'highly skilled andexperienced'¬†antitrust team¬†is currently representing the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers in its challenge before the DOJ regarding changes to its longstanding antitrust consent decree brought by the Music Modernization Act, which was signed into law in 2018.¬†Aidan Synnott¬†'leads an effective team in a client-oriented way and remains calm under pressure throughout the trial process'.¬†Craig Benson, Joseph Bial¬†and¬†Kenneth Gallo, who¬†sit in Washington DC, are defending Bumble Bee Seafoods against claims of a price-fixing conspiracy in the packaged tuna market brought by putative classes of direct and indirect purchasers and large retailers.¬†In another highlight, Becton Dickinson appointed a¬†New York-based¬†group consisting of¬†Robert Atkins,¬†William Michael¬†and¬†Jacqueline Rubin¬†to defend it in a putative class action brought by healthcare providers alleging the client inflated the prices of its products. Notable clients also include Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, Pfizer and Cigna.¬†Charles Rule¬†is also a key contact.

Stephen Neuwirth¬†leads¬†Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP's US antitrust team from New York. In Washington DC,¬†Michael Lyle¬†represented Express Scripts in a series of cases brought by compounding pharmacies alleging the client had conspired with its major competitors to exclude other pharmacies from their networks.¬†Shon Morgan¬†and¬†Adam Wolfson¬†in Los Angeles and New York's¬†Richard Werder, Jr. ¬†defended Daimler and Mercedes-Benz in a series¬†of class actions claiming the clients and the rest of the 'German Five' colluded to restrain innovation in their passenger vehicles. The team's stellar client roster covers the full spectrum of industry sectors and also includes energy major Trafigura, food and drink producer JBS and automobile giant Mitsubishi. Other key contacts include Los Angeles-based¬†Harold Barza¬†and, in New York,¬†Daniel Brockett¬†and¬†Steig Olson.

The antitrust lawyers at¬†Shearman & Sterling LLP¬†are 'very practical, business-focused and all have excellent knowledge of the law'. The firm's client roster includes numerous household names in the financial sector and elsewhere. In a recent highlight, New York-based¬†Adam Hakki¬†has been acting for Bank of America as one of eight defendants in a class action claiming the group of financial institutions conspired to manipulate the London silver fix and fix the price of silver. On the manufacturing side,¬†Djordje Petkoski,¬†David Higbee,¬†Ryan Shores¬†and San Francisco's¬†John Cove¬†continue to advise Japanese manufacturer Rubycon in a DOJ criminal investigations as well as series of associated civil claims. Other key clients include Bank of Montreal, Bank of Nova Scotia, Equinor and Mizuho Securities.¬†Ben Gris¬†recently joined the team from the FTC. Named individuals are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

Mark Gidley¬†spearheads the antitrust litigation practice at White & Case LLP¬†and recently teamed up with Boston's¬†Michael Kendall¬†to successfully obtain a full exoneration of Richard Usher, the lead defendant in the DOJ's criminal charges related to its investigation of the foreign exchange benchmark market. Noah Brumfield, who¬†sits in Palo Alto, 'provides actionable advice that is very timely and efficient' and 'understands clients' businesses in a way that is rarely seen with outside counsel'. In the pharmaceutical space, Gidley,¬†Peter Carney¬†and New York-based¬†Jack Pace¬†and¬†Michael Gallagher¬†- among others - secured a reversal of class certification on behalf of Allergan. Also key is¬†Christopher Curran, who leads the advice to longstanding client Toshiba; he recently defeated class certification in litigation brought by direct and indirect purchasers on the grounds of alleged price fixing in the lithium ion batteries market. Other key names include New York-based¬†Robert Milne¬†and¬†John Chung, and Washington DC's¬†Eric Grannon.

From Boston, WilmerHale's¬†Mark Ford¬†recently secured a victory for Baker Hughes in a countersuit filed by Nalco alleging that the client had fraudulently obtained a patent pertaining to the removal of contaminants from crude oil and had therefore unlawfully monopolized the market. In other highlights, Los Angeles'¬†Christopher Casamassima¬†is representing Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District in a case brought by SolarCity regarding the client's recent changes to its pricing plans, and Ford is acting for a publicly listed manufacturing company in a bid-rigging and defamation claim filed by a former employee.¬†Thomas Mueller¬†spearheads the practice from the Washington DC office.

The civil litigation team at¬†Winston & Strawn LLP¬†is jointly led by¬†Jeffrey Kessler¬†and¬†Eva Cole¬†and was recently bolstered by the arrival in Washington DC of¬†Neely Beth Agin¬†and¬†Eric Meiring¬†from¬†Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP¬†and the DOJ, respectively. The firm's strength in the sports sector can be seen in Kessler's victory on behalf of a class of NCAA athletes in its challenge against the NCAA's restraints on compensation. In another highlight, Chicago-based¬†Dan Webb¬†and New York-based¬†Aldo Badini¬†defeated Keurig's motion to dismiss their client Treehouse Foods' complaint of anti-competitive practices. Other key names in the Chicago office include¬†James Herbison¬†and¬†David Dahlquist, while¬†Robert Pringle¬†sits in San Francisco. Recent team developments also include the promotion to partner of¬†Ian Papendick¬†in San Francisco, sports litigation expert¬†Jonathan Amoona¬†in New York and¬†Diana Hughes Leiden¬†in Los Angeles.

Debbie Feinstein¬†heads¬†Arnold & Porter's global antitrust practice, while¬†Jonathan Gleklen¬†leads the US offering and¬†Saul Morgenstern¬†spearheads the New York branch. In recent highlights, Gleklen is part of the team advising Visa in litigation brought by putative classes as well as individual merchant plaintiffs challenging the default interchange fees set in the Visa and MasterCard system rules.¬†James L. Cooper¬†acted for Mitsui and its affiliates in class actions brought by end payers, automobile dealers and truck dealers on the grounds of an alleged price-fixing conspiracy in the ocean shipping industry. New York-based¬†Jennifer Patterson¬†is currently working alongside Morgenstern to represent a major US freight railroad in a number of class actions alleging surcharges on freight shipments in violation of the Sherman Act. Other key names include¬†Sonia Kuester Pfaffenroth¬†and¬†Laura Shores. Named individuals are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

The antitrust litigation team at¬†Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP¬†fields 'quality lawyers from top to bottom' and distinguishes itself through its 'global expertise'. Practice head¬†Paul Yde¬†is hailed for 'providing strategic advice and is very good at managing his team'. He is currently collaborating with¬†Mary Lehner¬†to advise United Airlines with regard to the ongoing DOJ investigation into the alleged seat capacity and price-fixing conspiracy in the aviation sector, which prompted consumer plaintiffs to file a consolidated multi-district claim. The team recently welcomed¬†Eric Mahr¬†from the DOJ; he is currently representing Lanxess in a putative class action alleging that competing diisocyanates producers reduced output through coordinated facility shutdowns. Also notable are¬†Bruce McCulloch¬†and recently promoted counsel¬†Justin Stewart-Teitelbaum,¬†who displays 'fantastic skills when dealing with clients and agencies'.

Mark Ryan¬†leads¬†Mayer Brown's global antitrust practice. The team was recently bolstered by the promotion to partner of¬†Matthew Provance¬†in Chicago and¬†Stephen Medlock. In the banking sector, HSBC appointed the group to advise on a putative class action alleging a conspiracy among financial institutions to manipulate the market for USD-denominated SSA bonds, as well as a separate class action claiming financial institutions harmed competition in the trading of interest rate swaps. Chicago-based¬†Britt Miller¬†is acting for CDK Global and its partially owned joint venture CVR in multi-district litigation alleging CDK conspired with its primary competitor - the Reynolds and Reynolds group - to exclude third parties from the data integration market and monopolize the after-market for applications.¬†Andrew Marovitz¬†recently provided counsel to clients such as¬† ArcelorMittal, Lear Corporation and BASF, and is also a name to note in Chicago.¬†Carmine Zarlenga,¬†Adam Hudes¬†and¬†William Stallings¬†are also key names to note. Named attorneys are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

The 'super practical and goal-oriented' team at¬†Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP¬†fields 'true experts on antitrust who just get the job done'. Particularly noted is the 'excellent' and 'super-responsive'¬†Jon Roellke,¬†whose advice is 'clear, consistent and actionable'. In Philadelphia, global practice head¬†Steven Reed¬†obtained a dismissal on behalf of Shire ViroPharma in a case brought by the FTC alleging the client tried to hinder generic competition to its drug by abusing government processes. Also notable in Philadelphia is¬†Brendan Fee,¬†who is a 'real star in the making' and 'just gets it'; he collaborated with Reed to advise clients such as Comcast, Uber and Gemtex.¬†Richard Taffet¬†is a key name to note in New York and recently led a cross-office team in the representation of Qualcomm in a variety of consumer class action claims alleging that the client's licensing and chip supply practices violated Section 5 of the FTC Act.¬†Ryan Kantor¬†recently joined the team from the DOJ in Washington DC and is a key contact, as is San Francisco's¬†Brian Rocca.

The antitrust litigation practice at¬†Morrison & Foerster LLP,¬†under the leadership of practice co-head Jeff Jaeckel,¬†is currently representing¬†Fujifilm and several of its subsidiaries in a federal class action brought by direct purchasers of capacitors on the grounds of alleged price-fixing, bid-rigging and output-restricting practices on a wide range of products. He also recently won a motion to dismiss on behalf of Oath in a case where plaintiffs claimed search engines such as Yahoo!, Google and Bing were harming competition by favoring a certain group of businesses in their search results, to their detriment.¬†Brad Lui¬†is currently acting for an employee of Citibank in a class action filed by plaintiffs claiming he conspired to reduce competition in an alleged market manipulation of USD-denominated bonds. Other key names are practice co-head¬†David Cross¬†and senior of counsel¬†Roger Fones.

Michael Scarborough¬†leads¬†Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP's antitrust and competition practice from San Francisco and successfully defended Samsung against boycott and monopsonization claims brought by a non-practicing entity relating to the client's acquisition and licensing of smartphone patents.¬†Michael Cohen¬†sits in Washington DC and is currently representing Reynolds and Reynolds in state and federal antitrust conspiracy and monopoly claims brought by automobile dealers and software providers. On the healthcare side,¬†David Garcia¬†is acting for Humboldt Medical Specialists and individual doctors with regard to a complaint filed by a competitor alleging one of the client's hospitals and doctors conspired to stifle competition for outpatient medical lab testing by misleading customers and defaming its competitors. Special counsel¬†James McGinnis¬†and¬†Dylan Ballard¬†are¬†key contacts in the San Francisco office, as is¬†Leo Caseria¬†in Los Angeles.

A key name in the antitrust litigation practice at¬†Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP¬†is practice head¬†John Terzaken III.¬†He sits in the Washington DC office alongside¬†Sara Razi,¬†Abram Ellis¬†and¬†Peter Thomas,¬†who are currently representing McKesson in a class action alleging that it conspired with generic drug manufacturers to fix prices and allocate customers. In the financial services sector, New York-based¬†Peter Guryan¬†and¬†Michael Garvey¬†teamed up with Ellis to defend Tradeweb against a number of putative class actions alleging a number of banks conspired to manipulate the over-the-counter market for interest rate swaps; Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan are also key clients in the financial space.¬†Andrew Lacy¬†- also in DC - is part of the team acting for HCA in a class-action claiming that three defendant hospital networks around San Antonio colluded to depress nurse wages. In a notable hire, former assistant US attorney¬†Brooke Cucinella¬†joined in New York from the Southern District.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP's¬†Steven Reiss¬†and¬†Adam Hemlock, both of whom are based in New York,¬†recently obtained a preliminary settlement approval on behalf of Calsonic Kansei in two purported class actions brought by end-user purchasers and automobile dealers following the DOJ's landmark criminal investigation into the global auto parts cartel. The pair also advise Bridgestone and its US subsidiary in¬†ongoing multi-district litigation arising from the auto parts investigation. In other highlights, General Chemical Corporation and its parent company appointed the group to defend it in a series of putative class actions alleging price-fixing practices in the liquid aluminum sulfate market. Panasonic is also a notable client.

John Roberti¬†spearheads the full-service antitrust practice at¬†Allen & Overy LLP¬†from the Washington DC office. He is currently acting for Tri-Union Seafoods in a series of separate class actions and direct civil claims filed by retailers and consumers alleging a conspiracy to manipulate the price of packaged seafood products within the US. The team was also appointed by Bosch to represent it in the high-profile multi-district litigation arising from the auto parts cartel investigation, and Roberti is collaborating with Michael Feldberg¬†in New York and associate¬†Providence Napoleon¬†- who also sits in Washington DC - to defend Samsung in various civil claims alleging it engaged in a number of price-fixing conspiracies in the lithium ion batteries market. The group is also intervening in significant litigation in the air travel and energy sectors. All named individuals are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

Crowell & Moring LLP's¬†Kent Gardiner¬†and practice co-head¬†Shari Ross Lahlou¬†are currently defending CSX Transportation in a consolidated group of putative class actions filed by purchasers of rail freight services. In other highlights, counsel¬†Luke Van Houweling¬†is part of the team representing Marriott in a class action brought against major hotel companies alleging they conspired to hinder competition from online platforms such as Expedia and Priceline by agreeing not to bid on each others' brands or online search engine advertising keywords. In Los Angeles, practice co-head¬†Jason Murray¬†and counsel¬†Jordan Ludwig¬†are acting for two Kaiser entities in a suit brought by a rival hospital group claiming the client is trying to monopolize the health insurance market in Solano County, California by underpaying for the emergency care that Kaiser's health plan members receive in the plaintiff's hospitals. Alexis Gilman¬†and Juan Arteaga¬†recently joined from from the FTC and DOJ, respectively. Named individuals are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP's antitrust practice co-head¬†Arthur Burke¬†recently obtained a favorable judgment for Comcast in a suit filed by competitor Viamedia alleging the client's conduct regarding its interconnects in Chicago, Detroit and elsewhere were in violation of the Sherman Act. In California,¬†Neal Potischman¬†and practice co-head¬†Christopher Hockett¬†secured the dismissal on behalf of¬†SD-3C - a joint venture of Panasonic, SanDisk and Toshiba -¬†of a price-fixing class action as well as an associated claim filed by Samsung. From the New York office, the firm has also acted for major banks and financial institutions in high-profile litigation arising from, among other things, the Libor manipulation investigation. Other key names include¬†James Windels¬†and¬†Paul Mishkin,¬†who sit in New York alongside Burke.

DLA Piper LLP (US)'s antitrust team 'is thoroughly committed to its clients and shows great effort to learn to improve its services'. AMN Healthcare recently engaged a team led by practice co-head¬†David Bamberger¬†(Philadelphia)¬†to defend it against a claim brought by a competitor alleging violations of the Sherman Act, and¬†Edward Scheiderman¬†(Washington DC) is part of the team acting for McCormick & Company in a consolidated group of lawsuits brought by a competitor and a number of putative consumer classes alleging the client's change of packaging is in breach of several antitrust and consumer protection laws. John Hamill, who successfully dismissed a state court class action filed against NorthShore University Health System, was recently joined in the Chicago office by¬†Robby Robertson, who arrived¬†from¬†Hogan Lovells US LLP.¬†Lesli Esposito¬†splits her time between Washington DC and Philadelphia and heads the practice alongside Bamberger.

Raymond Jacobsen, Jr.¬†heads the global antitrust and competition practice at¬†McDermott Will & Emery LLP¬†from Washington DC. On the healthcare front, a team led by Chicago's¬†Terrence Dee, Washington's¬†Jon Dubrow¬†and Orange County's¬†William Diaz¬†is representing group purchasing organization Premier in a class action filed by healthcare providers alleging that Becton Dickinson conspired with the client and its co-defendant to exclude rival syringe suppliers and raise prices. Jacobsen continues to work alongside Chicago-based¬†David Hanselman¬†to advise Eagle Materials and American Gypsum in class actions filed by direct and indirect purchasers of drywall, while¬†Michelle Lowery¬†and¬†Joel Chefitz¬†secured a dismissal for Steel Dynamics in a nationwide class action claiming that steel manufacturers conspired to restrict supply and fix prices; they are also based in Chicago. Also notable are¬†Stephen Wu¬†and¬†Stefan Meisner,¬†who both sit in Washington DC.

McGuireWoods LLP¬†'is a powerhouse firm in antitrust defense;¬†its best assets are its people who are incredibly strategic', according to one client. The antitrust litigation team is led by Chicago-based¬†Amy Manning,¬†who is 'one of the toughest defense lawyers out there and a brilliant antitrust mind'. Other key names include¬†Angelo Russo,¬†Sarah Zielinski¬†and¬†Howard Feller.

Robin Adelstein¬†leads the antitrust department at¬†Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP¬†from the New York office. In recent highlights, Layne Kruse¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†- who splits his time between Houston and Washington DC - teamed up with David Foster¬†to secure a summary judgment for a household name technology company¬†in litigation filed by a competitor alleging the client and other power tool manufacturers conspired to boycott its safety technology. Also notable in New York is Mark Robertson,¬†who is jointly representing a disposable lens manufacturer alongside Adelstein in putative class actions claiming a group of lens manufacturers conspired to engage in horizontal price-fixing and vertical price maintenance in violation of the Sherman Act. On the healthcare front, Houston-based¬†Darryl Anderson¬†was part of the team advising a health system on one of four suits filed against US hospitals claiming a conspiracy to depress nurse wages.¬†Gerald Stein¬†joined the firm from the FTC as senior counsel.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP's US antitrust department has a particular strength in the technology space and continues to serve household names such as Microsoft.¬†The team's clients also include household names such as Sony, eBay and Fujifilm. San Francisco-based¬†Karen Johnson-McKewan¬†is currently representing Netflix in a counterclaim to Fox's case alleging Netflix unlawfully hired two of Fox's former employees; Netflix claims Fox's employment contracts violate California's unfair competition law.¬†Jay Jurata¬†leads the practice from Washington DC and is collaborating with San Francisco's¬†Robert Rosenfeld¬†to defend longstanding client Microsoft in a class action brought by indirect purchasers alleging Microsoft overcharges for its Intel-compatible PC operating systems and software. Also notable in Washington DC are¬†Alex Okuliar,¬†Steve Routh¬†and new addition¬†Amy Ray,¬†who recently joined the practice from¬†Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP.

Scott Hataway's Washington DC-based team at¬†Paul Hastings LLP¬†is a trusted destination for the full gamut of antitrust litigation. The group recently secured a dismissal for Barclays in a suit brought by a putative class of purchasers of SSA bonds alleging the client engaged in a global conspiracy to fix prices and restrain competition in the market. Associate¬†Noah Pinegar, who recently arrived from the FTC, is part of the team representing Align Technology against 3Shape Trios, which claims Align attempted to monopolize the market for digital scanners used to order clear teeth-straighteners. Also notable are¬†Michael Spafford¬†and newly promoted counsel¬†Michael Wise,¬†who are currently defending clients in civil litigation arising from sensitive investigations in the energy and financial services sectors.

Proskauer Rose LLP's¬†Scott Cooper¬†and¬†Bart Williams¬†are currently acting for the PAC-12 conference and the college athletics defendants in high-profile multi-district litigation challenging the NCAA rules in football and basketball. In another highlight, Washington DC-based practice co-head¬†Colin Kass¬†and New York's¬†Bradley Ruskin¬†are representing Henry Schein in several matters, including a class action brought by a distributor alleging the client and the co-defendants colluded to boycott its business and to fix the prices of dental equipment in the US. Practice co-head¬†Christopher Ondeck¬†is also based in DC.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP¬†has a strong track record representing clients in private, class action and criminal antitrust litigation across several jurisdictions. The group previously secured a win for 3taps and its founder in a suit brought by Craigslist in which the plaintiff alleged 3taps and its co-defendants unlawfully harvested, distributed and reposted Craigslist advertising on their own site. Other key clients include ABB and Allergan. Key names to note in Washington DC include practice head¬†Steven Sunshine,¬†Tara Reinhart¬†and recent arrival¬†David Wales,¬†who joined from¬†Jones Day.

Vinson & Elkins LLP's antitrust team is particularly strong in Washington DC, Houston and San Francisco and acts for a client roster spanning a vast array of industry sectors.¬†Alden Atkins¬†is currently leading the advice to Southwest Airlines in a series of civil cases consolidated into multi-district litigation arising from the DOJ's investigation into the US air travel industry, where the major players are alleged to have conspired to restrict seat capacity to inflate fares. In the energy space, Houston-based practice co-head¬†James Reeder¬†teamed up with¬†William Vigdor¬†to represent Plains All American in civil litigation arising from its sale of its crude oil and gasoline terminals to an affiliate of Valero Energy.¬†Darren Tucker, who jointly leads the team with Reeder, recently joined the firm's Washington DC office from¬†Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP,¬†along with new head of government investigations¬†Hill Wellford¬†and counsel¬†Greg Wells.

From Washington DC, Williams & Connolly LLP¬†represents large corporate and individual clients and has a strong track record taking cases to trial.¬†Dane Butswinkas¬†recently acted for Celgene in two separate antitrust cases brought by generic competitor Mylan and a class of indirect purchasers alleging Celgene unlawfully delayed the development of generic drugs.¬†John Schmidtlein¬†and¬†Jonathan Pitt¬†jointly lead the group, while¬†Benjamin Greenblum¬†specializes in the intersection of antitrust and food and drug law. Other key clients include Amazon, Google, CVS and Samsung. The team was recently bolstered by five partner promotions.

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP's¬†Corey Roush¬†is heavily recommended by clients and recently secured, on behalf of Daimler Trucks, a denial of class certification in a claim brought by indirect purchasers as well as the dismissal of a purported class action filed by direct purchasers. In further highlights, Roush and¬†Gorav Jindal¬†are acting for US Concrete in an ongoing class action brought by purchasers of ready-mix concrete in the US Virgin Islands alleging violations of local antitrust laws. Fairley Spillman¬†advised Inguran's subsidiary, XY, on a monopolization claim filed by Trans Ova in response to XY's suit for patent infringement, breach of contract and patent infringement. The team is led by Paul Hewitt. All named attorneys are based in Washington DC.

The litigation team at¬†Axinn Veltrop & Harkrider¬†recently bolstered its offering through the promotion to partner of¬†Jeny Maier¬†and the arrival of¬†Tiffany Rider¬†and New York-based¬†Peter Herrick¬†from¬†Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP¬†and¬†Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, respectively. In New York,¬†John Harkrider¬†led the advice to Black & Decker regarding a boycott complaint brought by SawStop alleging that major power tool manufacturers conspired to exclude the plaintiff's safety technology. Key names to note in Washington DC are¬†John Briggs,¬†Rachel Adcox¬†and also¬†Michael Keeley,¬†who is currently defending generic pharmaceutical company Momenta in two parallel antitrust claims alleging that the client and its co-defendant Sandoz excluded generic competitors of Sanofi's blockbuster drug, Lovenox.¬†Daniel Bitton¬†sits in San Francisco and is also a name to note.

Clients 'get experienced,¬†knowledgeable and pragmatic antitrust advice'¬†from the team at¬†Baker & Hostetler LLP, which¬†has¬†'a strong and proven track record of providing solutions' and fields experts such as¬†John Fornaciari,¬†whose 'experienced perspective and ability to work through issues in a timely, efficient manner' is valued by clients. Caterpillar appointed a team led by Gregory Commins¬†to defend it in a claim brought by a would-be importer of Chinese-made equipment, and Fornaciari is currently representing Soshin Electric and its US subsidiary alongside associate¬†Sally Qin¬†in the defense of several class actions and individual claims alleging a price-fixing cartel among Japanese manufacturers.¬†Clients also recommend¬†Danyll Foix, Robert Abrams, Robert Brookhiser¬†and counsel Thomas Hogan.

Ballard Spahr LLP's 'overall team performance is exceptional', according to one source, who particularly notes Philadelphia's¬†Edward Rogers¬†for his 'excellent client communication skills and outstanding efficiency with his client's time'. In recent highlights, Stephen Kastenberg¬†secured a major win for GlaxoSmithKline in two related class action suits arising from an alleged conspiracy to file sham patent litigation and enter into 'reverse payment' agreements to suppress the entry to market of generic competition.¬†Leslie John¬†is currently representing Niagara Bottling in a false advertising claim brought by a seller of bulk spring water and a nationwide class of sellers. He also acted for SIGMA Corporation in 19 individual class actions centered on price-fixing and monopolization allegations. Also notable is New York's¬†Jay Fastow,¬†who 'is clearly an antitrust expert'.

Within the team at¬†Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP,¬†'all practitioners are specialized in antitrust and are experienced litigators'; 'their grasp on the legal and factual issues of the case is always impeccable and they are incredible at what they do'. The 'outstanding'¬†Herbert Washer¬†has recently led advice to Credit Suisse in several class actions filed against the major investment banks, including those arising from the investigations into alleged Libor and forex manipulation. Practice head¬†Elai Katz¬†and¬†Lauren Rackow¬†are 'both outstanding legalprofessionals' and 'very responsive and provide very clear, accurate and pragmatic advice'.

The 'very reliable' antitrust litigators at¬†Debevoise & Plimpton LLP¬†'seamlessly¬†work together' and the team recently welcomed¬†Ted Hassi¬†from¬†O'Melveny & Myers LLP¬†to its Washington DC office. The 'bright, prompt and professional'¬†Michael Schaper¬†is one client's 'go-to expert'; he recently led advice to Toyota and its affiliates in relation to civil litigation and class actions arising from the landmark¬†global auto parts cartel. In other highlights, counsel¬†Erica Weisgerber¬†and¬†Gary Kubek¬†are representing the Bank of Yokohama in two multi-defendant putative class actions alleging manipulation of Euroyen, TIBOR and Yen-Libor interest rate benchmarks. Named attorneys are based in New York unless otherwise indicated.

Goldman Ismail Tomaselli Brennan & Baum LLP¬†has recently defended Merck & Co in numerous antitrust litigation cases, including 15 putative class actions arising from a patent case settlement which the plaintiffs alleged violated federal and state laws. The group has also acted for clients in the construction materials space: it defended Holcim in a price-fixing lawsuit brought by consumers, and Lafarge North America in a price-fixing action relating to drywall. The team is jointly led by¬†Jennifer Greenblatt¬†and¬†Tarek Ismail¬†and recently bolstered its senior ranks through the promotion to partner of¬†Doug Winnard,¬†Rami Fakhouri¬†and¬†Andrew Rima. All named attorneys are based in Chicago.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP's antitrust team recently defended Safeway in a series of claims brought by fuel retailers alleging the client's loyalty program violated various antitrust laws.¬†Roxane Polidora¬†and¬†Jacob Sorensen¬†jointly lead the group and are currently acting for KEMET in class action and direct purchaser claims filed in federal court on the grounds of alleged price-fixing practices in the aluminum, film and tantalum capacitors market. In the healthcare space,¬†Thomas Loran III¬†is part of the team advising four major hospital groups on a class action brought by a healthcare employee beneficiary trust claiming the clients' written and verbal agreements with network providers prevent the plaintiff from competing in the market. Other notable clients include Sharp, Ralphs Grocery Store and Norwegian Air, while other key contacts include senior partner¬†John Grenfell,¬†Andrew Lanphere, counsel Laura Hurtado¬†and associate¬†William Palmer. All named attorneys are based in San Francisco.

The antitrust litigation team at¬†Reed Smith LLP¬†is led by¬†Debra Dermody¬†and is currently representing a major pharmaceutical company in civil litigation arising from government investigations into alleged price-fixing and false advertising practices in the generic drugs sector. In the healthcare space,¬†Will Sheridan¬†is collaborating with Dermody to advise a healthcare company on a claim centered on alleged Sherman Act violations. Also notable are¬†Daniel Booker,¬†Michelle Mantine¬†and counsels¬†Fred Egler¬†and¬†Conor Shaffer,¬†who are currently overseeing a consolidated multi-district litigation in the financial services space. All named individuals are based in Pittsburgh.

Ropes & Gray LLP's antitrust team - led by¬†Chong Park¬†in DC and Boston's John Donovan¬†- recently represented Eversource Energy in a class action alleging it violated federal and state antitrust laws by making systematic downward adjustments of daily natural gas capacity orders, resulting in inflated prices due to limited supply. San Francisco-based¬†Rocky Tsai¬†is working alongside Washington DC-based practice head¬†Mark Popofsky¬†to advise a biotechnology company on a complaint claiming a patent settlement and license agreement between the client and a former partner of the plaintiff harmed competition in the market for a specific type of drug.

Rising stars

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Berger Montague's¬†David Sorensen¬†and¬†Ellen Noteware¬†recently represented a class of direct purchasers of brand and generic iterations of a drug in their claim against Pfizer on the grounds of its alleged delaying of market entry of generic manufacturers through unlawful patent extensions.¬†H. Laddie Montague Jr.,¬†Eric Cramer,¬†Ruthanne Gordon¬†and¬†Michael Dell‚ÄôAngelo¬†acted as co-lead counsel for a class of direct purchasers of drywall alleging that the main manufacturers colluded to fix prices in the US, and¬†Merrill Davidoff¬†teamed up with¬†Michael Kane¬†to advise a nationwide class including merchants in the high-profile action against Visa, MasterCard and several leading banks regarding their allegedly unlawful card payment fees.¬†Caitlin Coslett¬†and Andrew Curley¬†were also active in significant litigation in the pharmaceutical space. All named attorneys are based in Philadelphia.

Hausfeld LLP¬†'is a leading firm for antitrust damages in Europe and the US' and fields 'pragmatic, smart andfocused' litigation experts. In Washington DC,¬†Michael Hausfeld,¬†Hilary Sherrer¬†and the 'friendly, engaging and spot-on'¬†Scott Martin¬†are currently serving as co-lead counsel to a certified class in its claim against some of the world's leading banks and their alleged conspiracy to manipulate Libor to sell artificially low interest rates to purchasers of Libor-based financial instruments. In other highlights, Washington DC-based¬†Sathya Gosselin¬†and New York's senior counsel¬†Irving Scher¬†filed an antitrust claim against Landmark Theatres on behalf of four independent film organizations, and the group successfully concluded its landmark litigation against the NCAA on behalf of college athletes claiming the NCAA's rules for compensation were unlawful. The main names to note in San Francisco are¬†Michael Lehmann,¬†Christopher Lebsock¬†and¬†Bonny Sweeney;¬†Reena Gambhir,¬†Melinda Coolidge¬†and¬†Brian Ratner¬†are other key contacts in Washington DC.

Susman Godfrey LLP's¬†Neal Manne¬†is currently acting for Walmart from Houston in its claim against major packaged seafood producers on the grounds of price-fixing allegations, while Los Angeles-based¬†Marc Seltzer¬†and New York's¬†Bill Carmody¬†are representing over-the-counter investors and a class of plaintiffs in their claim against major banks regarding their alleged rigging of Libor. In other highlights, the group oversaw major multi-district litigation on behalf of a class of consumer and business plaintiffs alleging price-fixing violations in the auto parts industry, and¬†Steven Sklaver¬†was part of a team led by¬†Kalpana Srinivasan¬†assisting a putative class of consumers against Qualcomm regarding its anti-competitive practices in the electronic chip industry.¬†Stephen Susman¬†is managing partner and is also a key name to note in Houston alongside¬†Vineet Bhatia. In Seattle, the main names to note are¬†Matthew Berry¬†and¬†Stephen Morrissey.

Zelle LLP's antitrust litigation practice is led jointly by¬†Judith Zahid¬†(San Francisco) and¬†James Robertson Martin¬†(DC). The pair recently teamed up with Washington DC's¬†Jennifer Duncan Hackett¬†and San Francisco-based counsel¬†Eric Buetzow¬†to advise UnitedHealthcare on its claim against major pharmaceuticals companies alleging thatthey conspired to inflate the price of a certain brand drug through unlawful 'pay-for-delay' deals to hinder the entry to market of generic competition. In other highlights, the team acted for automotive dealer plaintiffs in their claims arising from the landmark global auto parts manufacturing cartel, and San Francisco-based¬†Christopher Micheletti¬†represents a class of consumer purchasers of packaged seafood products against the US's major producers on the grounds of an alleged price-fixing conspiracy. Clients in the technology manufacturing and financial services fields have also engaged the group to oversee litigation pertaining to alleged antitrust violations in the ion-lithium rechargeable batteries market and with respect to Libor manipulation.

Daniel Small¬†and¬†Benjamin Brown¬†are at the helm of¬†Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC's practice, which represents a vast array of plaintiff clients including large conglomerates, small businesses and individuals.¬†Kit Pierson¬†and¬†Brent Johnson¬†recently obtained a favorable settlement for Sierra Drywall Systems in a class action against drywall and plaster suppliers on the grounds of a conspiracy to raise prices. In other highlights, Small collaborated with Johnson to advise an individual in a high-profile 'no-poach agreement' case against Pixar, Lucasfilm and other major animation and visual effect studios which colluded to not poach each other's employees. In New York,¬†Sharon Robertson¬†and of counsel¬†Donna Evans¬†acted as counsel to the end-payor class in pay-for-delay multi-district litigation in the pharmaceutical space.¬†Richard Koffman¬†is also a key name to note; he continues to assist current and former mixed martial artists in their class action against the UFC on the basis of its allegedly restrictive employment contracts.

Minneapolis-based Heins Mills & Olson, PLC's antitrust practice is jointly led by¬†Vincent Esades¬†and¬†Renee Steiner. The group is currently acting as lead counsel for a class of direct purchasers alleging that manufacturers of aftermarket automotive sheet metal parts conspired to fix their prices and output. In other highlights, the firm is acting for consumers in the alleged airline fare cartel.¬†Sam Heins¬†is also a key name to note.

Litigators at¬†Labaton Sucharow LLP¬†'always have the best interest of their clients in mind', and one client values the 'trust and faith the team instils'.¬†Jay Himes¬†and¬†Gregory Asciolla¬†are acting as co-lead counsel to two retirement systems regarding their class action against major banks on the grounds of alleged rigging of the US treasuries market by manipulating auctions for bills, notes and bonds. An end-payor plaintiff appointed a team including counsels¬†Karin Garvey¬†and¬†Robin van der Meulen¬†to oversee its price-fixing and bid-rigging action against generic pharmaceutical companies, and Modern Settings engaged the group to advise on its nationwide class action against leading major platinum and palladium dealers alleging a price-fixing conspiracy. In another highlight, the team represented purchasers of interest rate derivatives in the landmark ISDAfix class action.

In recent highlights,¬†Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP's¬†Brendan Glackin¬†and¬†Dean Harvey¬†represented healthcare insurance consumers in North Carolina in their claim against Carolinas Healthcare System alleging the defendant abused its market power to prevent insurers from offering patients financial incentives to use competitors' services. Harvey also worked alongside New York's¬†Daniel Seltz¬†and San Francisco-based¬†David Rudolph¬†to advise the health and welfare fund of New York's largest public employee union on cases alleging price-fixing violations in the generic pharmaceutical industry.¬†Eric Fastiff¬†heads the team and is currently acting for a direct purchaser class against leading technology companies on the grounds of alleged price-fixing and inflation violations in the lithium-ion batteries market. Also notable are¬†Richard Heimann,¬†Kelly Dermody¬†and¬†Lin Chan. Named attorneys are based in San Francisco unless otherwise indicated.

Litigation boutique¬†Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP¬†represents a stellar client roster in high-profile, high-stakes antitrust litigation across a variety of industry sector including financial services, media and manufacturing. New York-based¬†Daniel Brockett¬†is leading advice to a diverse group of plaintiffs on its class action against Wall Street banks regarding their alleged manipulation of the ISDAfix. In Los Angeles,¬†Adam Wolfson,¬†Frederick Lorig¬†and¬†Kevin Teruya¬†acted for Songkick in its claim against Ticketmaster on the grounds of its alleged monopolization of the market for artist pre-sale ticketing services in the US.¬†Stephen Neuwirth¬†leads the department out of New York and is collaborating with¬†Steig Olson¬†to assist Home Depot with its suit against Visa and Mastercard on the grounds of their allegedly anti-competitive payment card fees. Other names to note in Los Angeles include¬†Dominic Surprenant¬†and¬†Jeremy Andersen,¬†while¬†Sascha Rand¬†is another name in New York.

Robins Kaplan LLP¬†acts in private civil claims and class action litigation in a variety of sectors. Recently, the group jointly led by¬†Hollis Salzman¬†and Minneapolis-based¬†Craig Wildfang¬†has represented classes of consumers and businesses in their actions against auto parts manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies. Also notable is¬†Kellie Lerner,¬†who sits in New York with Salzman.

Ballard Spahr LLP's antitrust team 'is simply exceptional'. In Philadelphia,¬†Edward Rogers¬†'has great communication skills and is efficient with his time and his clients'.¬†In New York,¬†Jay Fastow¬†'is excellent in the field of litigation' and 'a great guide through complicated issues'.¬†Stephen Kastenberg¬†recently led advice to GlaxoSmithKline regarding two related class actions claiming substantial damages arsing from an alleged conspiracy with Biovail to bring sham patent litigation against generics manufacturers and to enter into reverse-payment agreements. Rogers and Fastow teamed up with¬†Jason Leckerman¬†to represent 19 municipalities and water authorities in their claims against chemical companies and select individuals on the grounds of an alleged conspiracy to inflate the price of aluminum sulfate.¬†Leslie John¬†leads the practice and is also a key name to note. Named individuals are based in Philadelphia unless otherwise stated.

At¬†Berman Tabacco (formerly Berman DeValerio), the¬†'lawyers are hugely helpful in maximizing clients' abilities and focusing their attention' and the¬†'communication and coordination are great'.¬†In recent highlights,¬†Christopher Heffelfinger¬†is acting as liaison counsel on behalf of a proposed class of dairy farmers in their claim alleging the US's largest marketer of non-fat dry milk and a California-based processing company colluded to inflate their own profits by misreporting critical data to the government. Practice heads¬†Joseph Tabacco Jr¬†and¬†Todd Seaver¬†are currently co-lead counsel to a class of direct purchasers pursuing a number of household corporate names on the grounds of their alleged worldwide conspiracy to fix the price of lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. In Boston,¬†Patrick Egan¬†is the main name to note. Named practitioners are based in San Francisco unless otherwise stated.

Grant & Eisenhofer P.A.¬†represented a class of merchants as co-lead counsel in its claim against Visa, Mastercard and several leading card issuers alleging they violated antitrust laws by charging excessive card payment fees.¬†Jay Eisenhofer¬†and¬†Deborah Elman¬†recently collaborated with Wilmington's¬†Grant Eisler¬†to advise individuals on their case alleging that global financial institutions conspired to manipulate the London silver fix in violation of the Sherman Act and Commodity Exchanges Act. In other highlights, the group is currently acting as co-lead counsel for airline passengers in a case against global distribution systems such as Sabre and Travelport alleging they conspired with airlines to inflate passenger fares. All named attorneys are based in New York.

Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP¬†has a strong track record acting for indirect and direct purchasers as well as consumers in price-fixing claims, under the supervision of Seattle-based¬†Steve Berman¬†and San Francisco's¬†Jeff Friedman¬†and¬†Shana Scarlett.

Joseph Saveri Law Firm¬†specializes in complex civil and class action litigation in the antitrust space where it also handles qui tam¬†litigation on behalf of the federal government and several states. The recent¬†arrival of Steven Williams¬†from¬†Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy and several hires at the associate level significantly bolstered the offering. Alongside founding partner Joseph Saveri, Williams acted as sole legal counsel to a class of indirect purchasers of aluminium, tantalum and film capacitors in relation to cartel and price-fixing claim against a group of defendants. In other highlights, the firm acted as interim co-lead counsel for end-payor plaintiffs in an antitrust class action filed against Allergan on the grounds of an alleged conspiracy to delay generic competition to the defendant's blockbuster drug, Restasis.

Robert Kaplan¬†sits in New York and is the key name at¬†Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP¬†for antitrust litigation. The firm is currently acting as court-appointed co-lead counsel in a securities class action against AAC Holdings and other defendants, and previously represented a class of consumers in its action against Bayer regarding a number of health benefit claims made in the marketing and on the packaging of its 'one a day' vitamin product range.

The 'outstanding' team at¬†Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP¬†is known to clients for its 'excellent work product, exceptional service, timely and wise legal advice and recognition of business implications'. Cindy Caranella Kelly¬†and¬†Sarah Gibbs Leivick¬†are singled out in particular for their 'skills and professional commitment'.¬†Hector Torres¬†continues to advise Ford on its damage claims arising from the DOJ's investigation into the global auto parts cartel, and¬†Marc Kasowitz¬†is part of the team representing Anderson News in its claim against leading magazine publishers and distributors alleging the latter conspired to boycott the client to force it out of the market.¬†Sheron Korpus¬†jointly heads the team with Torres and is also a key name to note. All named attorneys are based in New York. The team was recently strengthened by the arrival of¬†Kevin Arquit, who joined from¬†Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP¬†and now co-chairs the antitrust practice.

MoginRubin LLP's managing partner¬†Daniel Mogin¬†recently¬†advised a proposed class of direct purchasers in its¬†claim against the major airlines and distribution systems on the grounds of their alleged conspiracy to artificially inflate air travel fares. In Washington DC,¬†Jonathan Rubin¬†represented the National ATM Council and independent ATMs alleging Visa and Mastercard charge unlawfully excessive interchange fees. Also recommended is¬†Jennifer Oliver, who was promoted to partner in 2019. Named attorneys are based in San Diego unless otherwise stated.

Ruyak Cherian LLP's¬†Richard Ripley¬†is currently acting for a physician bringing a claim against competitor hospitals on the grounds of alleged collusion to boycott the client's services. He is also representing Power Analytics in a monopolization claim against a rival software company which allegedly entered into illicit agreements with complementary service providers not to recommend or include the client's software in their bundle products. Also notable are practice head¬†Robert Ruyak,¬†Martin Cunniff,¬†Ted Farrell¬†and¬†Rebecca Anzidei. All named individuals are based in Washington DC.

Rising stars

The global antitrust team at¬†Arnold & Porter¬†is led by¬†Debbie Feinstein¬†in Washington DC, which is also from where¬†Jonathan Gleklen¬†heads the US practice. The team was recently engaged by Monsanto to oversee its blockbuster acquisition by Bayer and the sale of its precision planting equipment business to AGCO, and by AT&T - led by Feinstein and¬†Richard Rosen¬†- to obtain global antitrust clearance for its landmark vertical merger with Time Warner. Also notable was¬†Michael B Bernstein's advice to BP regarding a number of strategic transactions, including the acquisition of the majority of BHP's shale oil and gas assets and the sale of its non-operating interests in Alaska's Kuparuk oilfields.¬†James L Cooper¬†is assisting longstanding client Cristal with the proposed sale of its titanium dioxide business to Tronox for $1.7bn plus a 24% share in the combined entity.¬†Bill Baer,¬†Sonia Kuester Pfaffenroth¬†and counsel Matthew Schultz¬†are also key contacts.

The antitrust attorneys at¬†Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton¬†are 'consistently excellent business and legal advisers; they provide practical guidance in an easy-to-understand format' and are described by one client as 'the best in the world overall'.¬†Mark Nelson,¬†Daniel Culley,¬†George Cary,¬†Mark Leddy¬†and¬†Jeremy Calsyn¬†are currently advising T-Mobile and Deutsche Telekom on T-Mobile's merger with Sprint. Cary¬†and¬†Kenneth Reinker¬†also represented 21st Century Fox in the $71.3bn acquisition by Walt Disney of some of its assets;¬†newly promoted counsel¬†Cunzhen Huang¬†worked with the firm's Brussels team to advise Disney on the same deal. Also notable are¬†Elaine Ewing¬†- who represented Dow in its blockbuster $130bn merger with DuPont - and¬†Dave Gelfand,¬†who advised Essilor on its merger with Luxottica.¬†Brian Byrne¬†'truly understands clients' businesses, industries and market dynamics in a way that allows him to provide better counsel' and is also a key contact alongside¬†Leah Brannon.¬†Above-named attorneys are based in Washington DC, while Culley¬†splits his time between Washington DC and Brussels.

Dechert LLP¬†'is the gold standard for outside counsel', according to one client. The antitrust team is 'responsive, creative, practical and informed' and operates under the joint leadership of¬†Steven Bizar¬†and¬†Michael Weiner¬†in Philadelphia and New York, respectively. In recent highlights, Washington DC-based¬†Mike Cowie¬†is representing CVS Health in its proposed acquisition of health insurer Aetna as well as in its sale of its RxCrossroads unit to McKesson. Fresenius appointed the group to oversee its acquisition of NxStage, and counsel¬†Gregory Luib¬†- who sits in Washington DC - was part of the team which advised American Airlines on its extended partnership with Qantas. Also notable is¬†Craig Falls,¬†who has recently assisted clients in the manufacturing and construction space.¬†Rani Habash¬†was recently promoted to partner in Washington DC, while Paul Denis retired.

Jones Day's¬†Kenneth Field¬†and of counsel¬†Phil Proger¬†recently advised Rite Aid on the acquisition of 1,932 stores, three distribution centers and related inventory by Walgreens Boots for $4.4bn. In the telecoms space, Houston-based¬†Bruce McDonald¬†represented Level 3 in its $31bn merger with CenturyLink, while¬†Ryan Thomas¬†was active in the healthcare space where he acted for Essilor in its proposed merger with Luxottica. On the merger litigation front,¬†John Majoras¬†and¬†Michael Gleason¬†defended Parker Hannifin in a DOJ investigation arising from its completed acquisition of Clarcor.¬†Aimee DeFilippo¬†was recently promoted to partner and oversaw GE's $2.6bn sale of GE Industrial to ABB. Other key contacts include New York-based global practice co-head¬†Craig Waldman¬†and Michael Knight;¬†Knight led the advice to Calgon Carbon regarding its $1.3bn all-cash acquisition by Kuraray.¬†David Wales¬†joined¬†Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. Named attorneys are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

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Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP's recent highlights include advising¬†Ainsworth Lumber on its $760m acquisition by Norbord, and representing Becton Dickinson in its $12.2bn acquisition of CareFusion. The group also acted for Broadcom in its $37bn acquisition by Avago Technologies, and EMC appointed the firm to oversee its $67bn takeover by Dell.¬†Tara Reinhart¬†and¬†Steven Sunshine¬†are some of the main names to note in Washington DC, while in New York, key contacts include¬†Clifford Aronson¬†and¬†Maria Raptis.

At¬†Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP,¬†the 'expertise and technical capabilities are extraordinary' and the team's 'practical approach to complex legal issues is always on target'. Clients have rated¬†Jeff White¬†in particular as an adviser who is 'beyond excellent'. In recent highlights,¬†Steven Newborn¬†collaborated with¬†Brianne Kucerik¬†to advise Scripps on its cash-and-stock acquisition by Discovery.¬†Steven Bernstein¬†and¬†Jeffrey Perry¬†were part of the team which assisted Walgreens Boots with its acquisition of 1,932 stores and related assets from Rite Aid.¬†John Scribner¬†works with Sanofi and recently oversaw a number of strategic transactions for the client alongside New York's corporate expert¬†Michael Aiello. Other key clients include Allergan, Campbell Soup, Johnson & Johnson and CoStar. Unless otherwise stated, attorneys are based in Washington DC.

Baker Botts L.L.P.'s antitrust practice 'is backed by a strong team' and is 'great at delivering highly responsive advice'.¬†Stephen Weissman¬†'excels at providing professional judgment'¬†and 'is unafraid to take a stand even in tight situations'; he jointly leads the US practice with¬†John Taladay. One client praises¬†Joseph Ostoyich¬†as 'one of the best antitrust counselors'. In a recent highlight, he acted for Ingevity in its acquisition of Georgia Pacific's Pine Chemicals business. Weissman advised Indorama alongside 'solid junior partner'¬†Michael Perry¬†on the antitrust aspects of its joint venture with Alpek and Far Eastern Investment to acquire out of bankruptcy the plastics manufacturing assets of M&G Chemicals. Also notable are¬†Paul Cuomo,¬†who assisted clients such as Liberty Media and RealPage, and¬†Mark Botti¬†and¬†Anthony Swisher,¬†who recently arrived from¬†Squire Patton Boggs. All named individuals are based in Washington DC.

Christine Varney¬†leads the merger control practice at¬†Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP,¬†which recently welcomed former US district judge¬†Katherine Forrest. The group was recently appointed by Akorn to oversee its pending sale to Fresenius Kabi, and Varney acted for Alere in its sale to Abbott Laboratories. Also notable are¬†Margaret Segall D‚ÄôAmico,¬†who represented Jose Cuervo in the antitrust issues arising from its acquisition of the Pendleton Whiskey brand assets from Hood River Distillers, and Julie North, who handled Crown Castle's acquisition of Lightower from Berkshire Partners, Pamlico Partners and other investors. Recent-made partner¬†Vanessa Lavely¬†is also a key name.

The merger control team at¬†Crowell & Moring LLP¬†is praised for its 'very pragmaticapproach¬†and good sense for business and economic issues'. The team 'truly takes the time to understand its clients' risk tolerance, interests and overall objectives' and was recently strengthened by the arrival of¬†Juan Arteaga¬†from the DOJ in New York, and¬†Alexis Gilman¬†from the FTC in Washington DC. The 'very smooth and likable'¬†Wm. Randolph Smith¬†'works very hard' and recently collaborated with practice co-heads¬†Shawn Johnson¬†and¬†Shari Ross Lahlou¬†and New York's 'excellent, responsive and pragmatic'¬†Olivier Antoine¬†to defend AT&T in litigation challenging its vertical merger with Time Warner. United Technologies recently appointed the group to oversee its $30bn acquisition of Rockwell Collins, and Humana engaged a team led by Johnson to clear two recent private equity-backed acquisitions in the healthcare space. Counsel¬†Megan Wolf¬†'always has a great grasp of the details' and is also a name to note. Named attorneys are based in Washington DC except where otherwise stated.

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP¬†has an especially standout track record in the financial sector, but also works on headline matters in other sectors. Recent examples include acting for Aetna in relation to its $77bn acquisition by CVS Health, and advising Syngenta on its high-profile takeover by ChemChina. The team also acted for Suez as divestiture buyer in its $3.4bn acquisition of GE Water & Process Technologies from GE as part of the latter's takeover of Baker Hughes. In other highlights,¬†Jon Leibowitz¬†was part of the team which advised Comcast on a number of strategic transactions, and¬†Ronan Harty¬†collaborated with¬†Howard Shelanski¬†to assist Emerson with a number of deals. On the contentious front, Washington DC-based¬†Jesse Solomon¬†is defending Fibria in its contested merger with Suzano Papel e Celuose.¬†Arthur Burke¬†jointly leads the practice with Menlo Park-based¬†Christopher Hockett. Named individuals are based in New York unless otherwise stated.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP¬†recently advised Bain Capital and its portfolio companies on the antitrust aspects of a number of strategic transactions, and Blackstone appointed the group to handle its partnership with its portfolio company Alight and Wipro. Out of Washington DC,¬†Mark Kovner,¬†Jeffrey Ayer¬†and¬†Marin Boney¬†advised Boeing on its acquisition of KLX and its proposed takeover of Millennium Space Systems. Also notable is Matthew Reilly,¬†who was part of the team which guided Spectrum Brands through the sale of its battery and lighting business to Energizer. In New York,¬†Ian John¬†led advice to Charter Communications regarding its creation of a 50/50 operating platform partnership with Comcast. Katherine Rocco¬†and Peter McCormack¬†are also contacts to note in New York. Key names in Chicago include¬†James Mutchnik¬†and¬†Luke Ruse,¬†who are defending Citadel Securities as a third party in a DOJ investigation into the announced purchase of NEX by CME.

The 'excellent' antitrust team at¬†Latham & Watkins LLP¬†'has outstanding knowledge of the agencies, is efficient in its work process, and fields a deep bench of more-than-capable associates'. Global practice co-head¬†Amanda Reeves,¬†Jason Cruise¬†and counsel¬†Alan Devlin¬†'are superstars; they are smart, efficient and practical'. Agrium (now Nutrien) appointed a team led by¬†Michael Egge, recently promoted partner¬†Farrell Malone¬†and Reeves to obtain clearance for its merger of equals with Potash. In San Francisco,¬†Karen Silverman¬†and client-recommended counsel¬†Jason Daniels¬†are currently representing home security company Ring in the antitrust aspects of its acquisition by Amazon for over $1bn. Also notable are counsel¬†Sydney Smith,¬†who advised Siemens on the US aspects of its merger of equals with Alstom, and San Francisco's Christopher Yates,¬†who co-heads the global practice with Reeves.

The 'very experienced and competent' team at¬†Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP¬†adopts a 'creative and hands-on approach' to service its enviable, diverse client roster. The 'outstanding'¬†Sara Razi¬†recently advised K2M on its $1.4bn merger with Stryker, and the 'competent and always available' counsel¬†Ellen Frye¬†is working with¬†Peter Guryan¬†in New York to represent L3 in the merger review of its announced merger of equals with Harris. Guryan is also working alongside counsel¬†Richard Jamgochian¬†to assist First Data with the antitrust aspects of its acquisition by Fiserv in an all-stock transaction. Practice head¬†Peter Thomas¬†and¬†Andrew Lacy¬†represented Daimler and BMW in their proposed mobility services joint venture. Other key clients include Bayer, Boeing, Mars and Taiyo Nippon Sansa. Named lawyers are based in Washington DC unless otherwise indicated.

The 'very service-focused and responsive' team at¬†White & Case LLP¬†distinguishes itself through 'extraordinary client service' and its 'ability to take very complex matters and quickly provide guidance and tools'.¬†George Paul's¬†'depth of experience, ability to make the complex simple and business-oriented and succinct approach' make him 'an in-house lawyer's dream'. Anthem recently appointed the group to oversee a number of high-value acquisitions in the health insurance space, as well as high-profile litigation arising from its proposed acquisition of Cigna. Noah Brumfield¬†is leading advice to Delta Electronics regarding a $2.14bn tender offer for Delta Thailand and the associated notification filing before the Chinese authorities. Clients recommend the 'extremely pragmatic'¬†Rebecca Farrington,¬†who 'provides good market context and communications in a way that clients can easily navigate'. Also notable are¬†Eric Grannon,¬†Anna Kertesz,¬†who was recently made partner, and department head¬†Mark Gidley. All attorneys mentioned are based in Washington DC.

At Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, the¬†antitrust practice is led by¬†Paul Hewitt¬†and the 'expert and responsive'¬†Corey Roush.¬†Roush recently advised 7-Eleven on its $3.3bn takeover of 1,030 convenience from Sunoco, and was also on a¬†team including¬†Fairley Spillman¬†and¬†Gorav Jindal¬†that acted for maritime company Wilhelmsen in its acquisition of Drew Marine. In other highlights, CenterPoint engaged the group to oversee the antitrust aspects of its merger with Vectren to form a leading energy delivery, infrastructure and services company, and Dallas-based¬†Seth Molay¬†represented Diamondback Energy in its acquisition of Energen in an all-stock transaction. Named individuals are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

Daniel Abuhoff¬†and¬†Gary Kubek¬†jointly lead the antitrust offering at¬†Debevoise & Plimpton LLP¬†from New York. In recent highlights, the team acted for Discovery in its high-profile, high-value acquisition of Scripps Networks Interactive, and a team¬†including counsel¬†Erica Weisgerber¬†advised TPG Capital and Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Strowe on¬†the antitrust aspects of its acquisition of Kindred Healthcare. Other key names in New York include¬†Michael Schaper¬†and¬†Kyra Bromley. In Washington DC,¬†Ted Hassi¬†joined the practice from¬†O'Melveny & Myers LLP.

At Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, a¬†Texas-based team led by¬†Sean Royall,¬†Mike Raiff¬†and¬†Rob Walters¬†secured a full win for AT&T in its contested $106bn acquisition of Time Warner. In other highlights, Washington DC-based¬†Adam Di Vincenzo¬†is leading the advice to Southern Company regarding its sale of Gulf Power, Florida City Gas and the entities holding its interests in Plant Oleander and Plant Stanton to NextEra Energy. Recently promoted partner¬†Richard Cunningham¬†sits in Denver and was part of the team advising a major car manufacturer alongside Los Angeles partners Maurice Suh¬†and Jay Srinivasan¬†on its joint venture with a foreign competitor to operate a plant in the US.¬†Cynthia Richman¬†in Washington DC¬†is also a key name to note. The US antitrust department, which is jointly led by Royall, Washington DC's¬†Scott Hammond¬†and¬†Daniel Swanson,¬†who sits in Los Angeles, was recently bolstered by the arrival in DC of¬†Richard Parker¬†from¬†O'Melveny & Myers LLP.

The 'lean team' at¬†Goodwin¬†'punches above its weight' and 'has substantial agency experience'. The 'top-notch practical, effective and efficient' lawyers 'routinely handle high-profile and complex transactions across a good number of industry sectors' under the leadership of 'real star'¬†Andrea Murino¬†and¬†Christopher Holding¬†in Washington DC. The independent directors of Sprint recently appointed a team of Murino and 'impressive merger practitioner'¬†Paul Jin¬†- who recently joined from¬†Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati¬†- to advise on its merger with T-Mobile. In other highlights, the group is representing a number of individual healthcare providers in their efforts to merge and form the second-largest healthcare system in Eastern Massachusetts. In Boston, counsel¬†Kirby Lewis¬†is a key name to note.

The 'highly responsive and capable' merger control team at¬†Hogan Lovells US LLP¬†'is extremely responsive to the needs of clients, very practical and always achieves outstanding results'. Practice head Joseph Krauss¬†'is a merger control expert and embodies these qualities'; he recently teamed up with practice head¬†Edith Ramirez¬†to assist Orbital ATK with its $9.2bn sale to Northrop Grumman. In other highlights,¬†Logan Breed¬†led the advice to Marvell regarding its high-profile acquisition of Cavium, and¬†Leigh Oliver¬†represented PPG as lead customer witness for the FTC in its challenge to the proposed merger of Tronox and Cristal. Also notable is Andrew Lee,¬†who¬†'is able to communicate effectively with Korean businesses' and recently acted for SM Line as a third party in the DOJ's investigation into a three-way merger of three major ocean shipping companies. All named attorneys are based in Washington DC.

Mayer Brown¬†fields merger control experts such as the 'responsive, insightful and practical'¬†William Stallings,¬†who has 'strong knowledge of antitrust issues in the airline industry'.¬†Mark Ryan¬†leads the group from Washington DC.

The 'excellent'¬†antitrust group at¬†McDermott Will & Emery LLP¬†'is uniquely effective in its analysis of regulatory issues', as well as 'exceptionally practical and solutions-oriented'. Especially noted are practice head¬†Raymond Jacobsen, Jr.¬†and¬†Jon Dubrow¬†who 'stand out¬†from other excellent antitrust lawyers in their ability blend business needs with regulatory demands and formulate a strategy that is sensible and credible'. The pair recently collaborated with¬†Gregory Heltzer¬†to secure clearance on behalf of Martin Marietta Materials' $1.68bn acquisition of Bluegrass Materials, and¬†Joel Grosberg¬†oversaw Motorola's all-cash takeover of Aviglion. The firm's stellar client roster also includes names such as Impax, Lockheed Martin and Mountain States Health. Other key names include¬†Jeffrey Brennan,¬†Daniel Powers, Chicago's¬†Stephen Wu,¬†and¬†William Diaz,¬†who sits in Orange County. Unless otherwise stated, attorneys are based in Washington DC.

The antitrust team at¬†Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP¬†was recently strengthened in Washington DC by the arrival of¬†Ryan Kantor¬†from the DOJ. Also in the team in DC,¬†Jonathan Rich¬†recently led a team including¬†David Brenneman¬†and¬†Willard Tom¬†to handle the antitrust aspects of several transactions by private equity firm Apollo Global. In New York,¬†Harry Robins¬†oversaw a number of transactions in the financial services sector, and represented Aramark in its $1bn acquisition of AmeriPride Services. Other notable clients include AmeriHealth Caritas, Comcast, the Dr Pepper Snapple group and Merck & Co.

O'Melveny & Myers LLP's merger control offering, which is jointly led by¬†Ben Bradshaw¬†and¬†Ian Simmons¬†in Washington DC, was recently strengthened by the arrival of experienced litigator and antitrust expert¬†Benjamin Singer¬†from the DOJ. Los Angeles-based¬†Daniel Petrocelli, as well as¬†Katrina Robson¬†and¬†Kenneth O‚ÄôRourke¬†in Washington DC, acted as lead trial counsel to AT&T and Time Warner, defending their vertical merger against the DOJ. Also notable in DC is¬†Courtney Dyer, who¬†represented longstanding client Microsemi in its $10.4bn acquisition by Microchip Technology. Other key clients include a number of major airlines, ExxonMobil and Humana.¬†Richard Parker¬†and¬†Ted Hassi¬†moved to¬†Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP¬†and¬†Debevoise & Plimpton LLP¬†respectively.

Paul Hastings LLP's antitrust practice is led by¬†Scott Hataway¬†and¬†Michael Wise,¬†who was recently promoted to counsel. In recent highlights, GI Partners appointed the group to oversee its concurrent acquisitions of two eDiscovery platforms as well as its takeover of California Cryobank and Cord Blood Registry. Hataway and Wise also acted for Integrated DNA Technologies in its $1.9bn sale to Danaher, and Wise advised Netsmart on its acquisition of Change Healthcare Home Care and Hospice Solutions from McKesson. The team was recently bolstered by the arrival of associate¬†Noah Pinegar¬†from the FTC.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's team 'is smart with a strong bench' and is 'driven and supported' by 'fantastic lawyer'¬†Charles Rule, who 'grasps issues promptly and provides incisivecounsel'. Washington DC-based¬†Jonathan Kanter¬†and¬†Jay Cohen¬†in the New York office are currently representing Altice as an interested party in T-Mobile's high-profile acquisition of Sprint, while¬†Aidan Synnott¬†continues to advise Automatic Data Processing on a number of strategic acquisitions in the digital finance space. Also notable is Washington DC's¬†Andrew Forman, who is working with Rule, Kanter and the 'excellent'¬†Daniel Howley¬†to oversee Cigna's $67bn acquisition of Express Scripts.

Shearman & Sterling LLP¬†fields 'an elite team, confidently led by¬†David Higbee', which 'sees around corners that other outfits just can't seem to'. New York's¬†Jessica Delbaum¬†'is very proactive in her approach' and¬†Ben Gris¬†- who recently joined from the FTC - 'has a unique first-hand merger litigation experience and knows the regulators inside out'. The team advised LyondellBasell on its acquisition of high-performance material supplier A. Shulman, and assisted Glatfelter - led by Delbaum - with its acquisition of Georgie-Pacific's European nonwoven business. Also notable is of counsel¬†Wayne Collins,¬†who splits his time between New York and Washington DC, and is 'the rare kind of lawyer who is at home with regulators, CEOs, economists and can communicate on everylevel'.¬†Gris and Higbee are based in Washington DC.

Vinson & Elkins LLP¬†strengthened its offering through the hires of¬†Darren Tucker,¬†Hill Wellford¬†and counsel¬†Greg Wells¬†from¬†Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP,¬†and also promoted¬†Lindsey Vaala¬†to counsel. Google recently engaged the firm to handle a number of cross-border mergers and acquisitions, while¬†William Vigdor¬†and Houston-based¬†James Reeder¬†represented Plains All-American Pipeline in litigation arising from the sale of its crude oil and gasoline terminals to an affiliate of Valero Energy. In other highlights, Vigdor and senior associate¬†David Smith¬†advised Sunoco on its strategic divestiture of over a thousand retail fuel outlets to 7-Eleven. Named attorneys are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

At Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP¬†in New York,¬†Nathaniel Asker¬†and special counsel¬†Aleksandr Livshits¬†'are excellent attorneys with particular strength in asset management, which is a rarity in the world of antitrust'; they are 'exceptionally responsive and client-focused'. The pair recently represented Landmark and its subsidiary Dominion Enterprises in its sale of ForRent to CoStar, and collaborated with the London office to advise Aleris on its acquisition by Novelis. Permira Funds also appointed the group to handle a number of its transactions, including its takeover of Cisco's service provider video software solutions business and its sale of the Magento Commerce e-platform to Adobe.

Linklaters LLP¬†'has a deep bench of experienced antitrust attorneys, which enables it to provide unique insights to its clients'.¬†Tom McGrath¬†leads the New York-based group and recently teamed up with counsel¬†Antonia Sherman¬†to advise Linde on the global antitrust aspects of its proposed merger of equals with Praxair. In other highlights, Takeda Pharmaceutical appointed the team to oversee its high-profile acquisition of Shire, and Washington DC's¬†Jeff Schmidt¬†assisted Western Refining with its acquisition by Tesoro.¬†Douglas Tween¬†is also a key name to note in New York.

Jeff Jaeckel¬†is a key name to note in¬†Morrison & Foerster LLP's antitrust team, which recently welcomed¬†Vishal Mehta¬†from¬†Baker Botts L.L.P.,¬†Lisa Phelan¬†from the DOJ and of counsel¬†Megan Gerking¬†from¬†Covington & Burling LLP. Jaeckel is currently working alongside¬†David Meyer¬†as lead counsel to Sprint and SoftBank regarding Spint's blockbuster merger with T-Mobile. Also notable is the firm's work for Infineon Technologies in its cross-border sale of its radio frequency power business division to Cree, and Jaeckel's advice to Fujifilm on its proposed acquisition of Xerox. Associate¬†Kerry Jones¬†is also a key name to note in the Washington DC office, where all named attorneys are based.

The senior ranks at¬†Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP¬†were recently strengthened by the arrival of¬†Amy Ray¬†from¬†Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP. Longstanding client Microsoft recently appointed a team led by¬†Alex Okuliar¬†and¬†James Tierney¬†to oversee its acquisition of software development platform GitHub, and the pair also advised Cisco on the DOJ investigation into its acquisition of Viptela. The team, led by¬†Jay Jurata, has a particular strength in the technology space but has also handled significant merger clearance work in the energy space. All named individuals are based in Washington DC.

Ropes & Gray LLP's merger control team 'is skilled and takes a practical, reasoned approach to complex issues, and has¬†particular strength in private equity and healthcare'. Client-recommended counsel¬†Deidre Johnson, who is based in Boston, recently teamed up with¬†Michael McFalls¬†to assist Bain Capital with a number of transactions, including its consortium acquisition of Toshiba's memory business. In the healthcare space,¬†Jane Willis¬†and¬†Jonathan Klarfeld¬†are representing Emory Healthcare in its strategic partnership with DeKalb Medical in Atlanta, and McFalls continues to advise clients such as Wright Medical and Hartford Healthcare. Clients also recommend senior associate¬†Simone Waterbury, and Boston-based associates¬†Kevin Walsh¬†and¬†Derek Yee. Named attorneys are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

WilmerHale¬†recently acted for three main container line shipping companies in the creation of a joint venture under the supervision of¬†Thomas Mueller,¬†Hartmut Schneider¬†and¬†Perry Lange. Also notable is¬†Jamie Gorelick,¬†who led advice to multiple major telecoms providers in relation to a high-profile merger in the telecoms industry. All named partners are based in Washington DC.

Elaine Johnston¬†and her team at¬†Allen & Overy LLP¬†'have unsurpassed expertise coupled with impressive knowledge of their clients' businesses', which 'allows them to provide deeply informed and tailored advice in the M&A space'. In recent highlights, Fresenius Kabi appointed the group to oversee its acquisition of Akorn, and Johnston led the advice to credit card processing company Worldpay regarding its high-value merger with Vantiv, a US merchant acquirer.

Axinn Veltrop & Harkrider's team recently acted for Silver Lake in its merger with competitor Learfield, which received a second request from the DOJ. In other highlights, San Francisco's¬†Daniel Bitton¬†and Washington DC's recently promoted partner¬†Jeny Maier¬†led advice to McKesson regarding its acquisition of RxCrossRoads from CVS as well as its takeover of Medical Specialties Distributor.¬†Tiffany Rider¬†and¬†Peter Herrick¬†are recent recruits, having joined, respectively,¬†in Washington DC and New York from¬†Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP¬†and¬†Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.¬†John Harkrider¬†jointly leads the team with Washington DC-based¬†John Briggs. Other key names include Michael Keeley¬†in DC and¬†Richard Dagan. Named individuals are based in New York unless otherwise stated.

Baker McKenzie LLP¬†recently advised Spanish Parques Reunidos Group on its acquisition of the Brandenburg leisure resort Tropical Islands, and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board appointed the group to oversee its strategic investment into a Japan-focused logistics private real estate fund.¬†Mark Hamer¬†leads the team from Washington DC; other key names include¬†Craig Lee,¬†Brian Burke,¬†David Clanton¬†and¬†Teisha Johnson.

Bracewell LLP¬†'has excellent technical skills and extensive experience in antitrust matters'. The group is led by New York-based¬†Daniel Hemli, who has 'outstanding technical knowledge', is¬†'efficient and handles legal matters productively'. Recent highlights mainly involve advising on the antitrust aspects of high-value transactions in the energy and oil and gas industry, such as Harvest Midstream's acquisition of assets in the San Juan Basin Four Corners area from Williams Partners. Other key clients include Great Plains Energy, Hydro One and Apache.

Tembec appointed the antitrust team at¬†Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP,¬†led by¬†Elai Katz,¬†to oversee its acquisition by Rayonier, a transaction which required merger clearance in several jurisdictions. In other highlights, Katz acted for Envigo in its ultimately abandoned acquisition by Avista, and counsel¬†Lauren Rackow¬†was part of the team which advised underwriters of high-yield debt on the financing of a number of major acquisitions; these included the landmark merger between T-Mobile and Sprint as well as Red Ventures' high-value acquisition of Bankrate. Named attorneys are based in New York.

Jacqueline Grise¬†leads the antitrust offering at¬†Cooley LLP¬†from Washington DC ans has particular expertise in healthcare, medical devices, media and other high-tech industries. Recent highlights include acting for Gray Television in its acquisition of Raycom for $3.65bn, and Adaptive Insights' $1.55bn sale to Workday. Other key names include¬†Howard Morse¬†and¬†Marc Schildkraut.

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP's antitrust team recently represented the Sinclair Group in its ultimately abandoned merger with Tribune Media, under the supervision of practice head¬†William Kolasky. Other highlights included securing clearance for significant mergers in the travel management and mining sectors. Also notable are¬†Robert Bell¬†and associate¬†Kristin Millay,¬†who are based in Washington DC along with Kolasky.

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP's¬†William Rooney¬†'is particularly outstanding,¬†thorough and keen to understand the client's business'. He jointly leads the 'extremely methodical, extremely thorough, and extremely patient'¬†team with¬†Jeffrey Korn. Also notable is¬†Wesley Powell,¬†who acted as US antitrust counsel to CRF Health in connection with its acquisition by Genstar Capital. In other highlights, Silver Creek appointed the firm to oversee its takeover of Genesis Energy's crude oil transport infrastructure in Wyoming's Powder River basin. All named attorneys are based in New York.

Interview with...

Law firm partners and practice heads explain how their firms are adapting to clients' changing needs

After more than 20 years since joining the Milberg brand, under which she honed her skills and earned a solid reputation as a highly regarded and successful national litigator and business leader, Ariana J. Tadler is proud to announce the launch of her new firm, Tadler Law LLP. Ms. Tadler will be joined by talented partners, including AJ de Bartolomeo, Henry Kelston, and Melissa Clark, as well as key professional staff, whom she has known and worked with for years. Upon Ms. Tadler‚Äôs departure from Milberg Tadler Phillips Grossman LLP (‚ÄúMTPG‚ÄĚ), MTPG will continue as Milberg Phillips Grossman LLP ("MPG"), under Glenn Phillips‚Äô direction.

A recent landmark decision by the First Hall of the Civil Court has confirmed for the first time that in order for a precautionary warrant to remain in force, it must be preceded or followed (within 20 days), by a court case filed in Malta or in the European Economic Area (EEA).

Criminal liability of corporations is a
hot topic worldwide. From financial institutions to global corporations, almost
daily we hear about a large corporation being investigated, signing a Deferred
Prosecution Agreement or being convicted, usually for money laundering, tax
evasion or bribery.

MSCI Inc., a New York-based provider of critical decision support tools and services for the global investment community, has announced that its subsidiary, MSCI Barra Suisse S√†rl, has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Carbon Delta AG, a Swiss based environmental fintech and data analytics firm.

The UK government intends to introduce a new register of People with Significant Control over Overseas Companies, ‚Äúthe PSCOC Register‚ÄĚ, in order to improve transparency of beneficial ownership for foreign entities which own UK properties. The Bill will be introduced to Parliament in 2019 and is intended to become operational by 2021.

Protection of financial market investors and prevention of unlawful disclosure of inside information and financial market manipulation is provided and guaranteed by the EU Market Abuse Regulation (Regulation 596/2014) (MAR) and the Directive on criminal sanctions for insider dealing and market manipulation (Directive 2014/57/EU) (CSMAD), which collectively replace the previous Market Abuse Directive (MAD) and together is known as MAD II.

Kochanski & Partners is the exclusive legal partner of the
working group on a standard for cloud computing implementation in banks,
established by the Polish Bank Association (ZBP) and the Banking Technology
Forum.

Ringier Axel Springer Poland (RASP), a part of the leading CEE multimedia Ringier Axel Springer AG group, has consolidated its dispute resolution services by choosing KochaŇĄski & Partners as its legal advisor in Poland.

The K&P Transaction Advisory and Analysis team has prepared a report on the structure of the M&A market in Poland. The report presents an in-depth analysis of current trends in the M&A market and phenomena affecting its structure in the first half of 2019.

Ogier has acted as Jersey counsel for Tarsus Group plc, the London-listed international business-to-business media and events group, on its ¬£561 million takeover by private equity firm Charterhouse Capital Partners LLP.

Maravela, Popescu & Roman is listed amongst the top business law firms within the ranking tables of ‚ÄúEconomy‚Äôs biggest players‚ÄĚ Guide, edited by Ziarul Financiar, the most important business and financial newspaper in Romania. The list contains reputed names within the legal landscape, detailing the size of the team and significant recent transactions. The Guide contains numerous insights, articles and ranking tables regarding various sectors of the economy in Romania. The online version of the ‚ÄúEconomy‚Äôs biggest players‚ÄĚ Guide is available at¬†http://edition.pagesuite.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=59298923-516a-4cd2-9689-49d58fc42bd4

The MPR Partners
| Maravela,
Popescu & Roman and Squire Patton Boggs LLP consortium was ranked first in
the selection process carried out by the Romanian Ministry of Public Finance in
order to contract assistance and representation in international investment arbitration
performed according to UNCITRAL provisions.

DORDA has always had a strong focus on the digital and technology sector. The team of nine leading and award-winning IT/IP professionals led by partner Axel Anderl has been boasting a strong track record of relevant client relationships for more than a decade. In addition, other expert teams of the firm, such as the M&A group, the corporate law, banking and insurance teams or the antitrust team, also work for technology companies on a daily basis. As a consequence, DORDA has now established a new interdisciplinary Digital Industries Group, which institutionalises the cooperation of DORDA's experienced, technology-oriented experts in the digital and technology sector. Constant sharing of know-how will further strengthen the expertise and quality of the Group's services, thus creating further synergy effects for clients.